COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Montana State Billings men's tennis team downed Colorado College 8-1 and opened the 2011 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference season with a 9-0 victory over Colorado Christian. For the season, the Yellowjackets improved to 4-5 and 1-0 in conference play.
“The MSUB men's team had a great day in Colorado Springs, Colo., defeating Colorado Christian 9-0 and Colorado College 8-1,” MSUB head coach Lew Kosich said.
In the match versus Colorado College (0-1), the Yellowjackets jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in doubles as sophomore Navin Marimuthu and freshman Kavindu Gamage won 8-4 at No. 1 doubles. Junior Alonso Leon and freshman Thomas Staffileno won at No. 2 8-6. The number three spot needed the tie-breaker as senior James Catlin and sophomore Brad Knutson showed their experience in pulling out a 9-8 (2) win for the sweep.
Five of the six singles matches were in straight-sets. Marimuthu needed three sets to put away Nate Burt at No. 1 singles. Burt won the opening set 6-4, but the talented Marimuthu came back with a 7-6 (4) win to even the match and then won the third set tie-breaker 10-8 for an 8-1 win.
In the Colorado Christian match (0-1), the Jackets dropped just two games in doubles as Knutson and Catlin blanked their CCU opponent 8-0 at No. 3. At number one and two doubles, the Jackets won 8-1 in each.
In singles, MSUB lost just 10 games going 72-10 combined in games. Gamage (No. 3), Staffileno (No. 5) and Fehr (No. 6) did not drop a game in either set, while Leon (No. 2) lost just one game in the first set.
Montana State Billings 8, Colorado College 1
Doubles
1) Navin Marimuthu/Kavindu Gamage (MSUB) def. Nick Burt/Leo ZerRuffsiren (CC) 8-4
2) Alonso Leon/Thomas Staffileno (MSUB) def. Evan Jonker/Sam Barnard (CC) 8-6
3) Brad Knutson/James Catlin (MSUB) def. Thomas Modern/Zach White (CC) 9-8(2)
Singles
1) Navin Marimuthu (MSUB) def. Nick Burt (CC) 4-6, 7-6(4), 1-0(8)
2) Alonso Leon (MSUB) def. Evan Jonker (CC) 6-2, 6-3
3) Kavindu Gamage (MSUB) def. Thomas Modern 6-3, 6-0
4) Brad Knutson (MSUB) def. Leo ZerRuffsiren (CC) 6-4, 6-2
5) Thomas Staffileno (MSUB) def. Zach White (CC) 6-2, 7-5
6) Will Linesay (CC) def. Geoff Fehr (MSUB) 6-0, 6-0
Montana State Billings 9, Colorado Christian 0
Doubles
1) Navin Marimuthu/Kavindu Gamagae (MSUB) def. Bryan/Flathers (CCU) 8-1
2) Alonso Leon/Thomas Staffileno (MSUB) def. Wheeler/Goorabian (CCU) 8-1
3) Brad Knutson/James Catlin (MSUB) def. Black/Barela (CCU) 8-0
Singles
1) Navin Marimuthu (MSUB) def. Chris Flathers (CCU) 6-2, 6-3
2) Alonso Leon (MSUB) def. Drew Goorabian (CCU) 6-1, 6-0
3) Kavindu Gamage (MSUB) def. Taylor Bryan (CCU) 6-0, 6-0
4) Brad Knutson (MSUB) def. Andrew Wheeler (CCU) 6-2, 6-2
5) Thomas Staffileno (MSUB) def. D. Barcla (CCU) 6-0, 6-0
6) Geoff Fehr (MSUB) def. L. Black (CCU) 6-0, 6-0
