DENVER, Colo. – The Montana State Billings men's and women's tennis teams split a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference matches versus Metro State College at the Gates Tennis Center Friday afternoon. The Yellowjacket men's team upset the Roadrunners 6-3, while the women lost 9-0. The men's team improved to 6-6 on the year and 2-1 in conference play. The women fell to 6-8 and 1-2 in league play.
“Our men's tennis continues to get stronger week-by-week with competitive matches up and down the line with a 6-3 win today against a very good regionally ranked team,” MSUB head coach Lew Kosich said. “Maria Peterson and Rikki Peach played very competitive matches today for us on the women's side.”
The Jacket men's team jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Metro State (8-7, 2-3 RMAC) with wins at Nos. 2 and 3 doubles as the tandem of Delbert Landicho and Brad Knutson downed Ross Gelina/Jonathan Evangelista 8-4. At No. 3, Thomas Staffileno and Alonso Leon made quick work of Ryan Joyce and Mike Riley with an 8-3 win.
The Roaderunners cut the deficit in half at No. 1 doubles as Lucio Cangiano and Adrien Delvaux defeated MSUB duo of Navin Marimuthu and Kavindu Gamage by a slim 8-6 margin.
MSUB swelled the lead to 4-1 with wins at Nos. 1 and 2 in singles. Marimuthu battled back from a 6-2 first set loss to upset No. 54 Cangiano at No. 1 singles 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, while Leon won in straight sets at No. 2 over Gelina, 6-3, 6-1.
Metro State won at Nos. 4 and 6 singles for a 4-3 deficit as Evangelista defeated Landicho in three sets, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 at No. 4, while Riley downed Staffileno also in three sets, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 at No. 6.
A big three-set win by Knutson at No. 5 clinched the match for the Jackets as he defeated Joyce 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 for a 5-3 lead. Gamage then added to the lead with a 5-7, 6-1, 6-0 win over Delvaux at No. 3 for a 6-3 win.
All but Leon's singles match went three sets with the loser of the first set coming back to win the match in each of the five.
MSUB entered the match ranked sixth in the region, while Metro State was ranked fourth regionally.
On the women's side, the Roadrunners (8-8, 3-2 RMAC) won all three doubles matches and won five of six singles matches in straight sets. MSUB's Maria Peterson fought valiantly at No. 4 as she lost a 4-6, 7-5, 11-9 three set decision to Marianne Evangelista, while Rikki Peach fell at No. 2 with a 6-2, 7-5 loss to Nicole Hermann.
The Yellowjackets head to Pueblo, Colo., for a pair of matches tomorrow against Western New Mexico and Mesa State.
Montana State Billings 6, Metro State 3
Singles competition
1. Navin Marimuthu (MSUB) def. #54 Lucio Cangiano (MSCD) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
2. Alonso Leon (MSUB) def. Ross Gelina (MSCD) 6-3, 6-1
3. Kavindu Gamage (MSUB) def. Adrien Delvaux (MSCD) 5-7, 6-1, 6-0
4. Jonathan Evangelista (MSCD) def. Delbert Landicho (MSUB) 3-6, 7-5, 6-4
5. Brad Knutson (MSUB) def. Ryan Joyce (MSCD) 2-6, 6-1, 6-4
6. Mike Riley (MSCD) def. Thomas Staffileno (MSUB) 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Lucio Cangiano/Adrien Delvaux (MSCD) def. Navin Marimuthu/Kavindu Gamage (MSUB) 8-6
2. Delbert Landicho/Brad Knutson (MSUB) def. Ross Gelina/Jonathan Evangelista (MSCD) 8-4
3. Thomas Staffileno/Alonso Leon (MSUB) def. Ryan Joyce/Mike Riley (MSCD) 8-3
Match Notes:
Montana State-Billings 6-6, 2-1 RMAC; Regional ranking #6
Metro State 8-7, 2-3 RMAC; Regional ranking #4
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (2,1,4,6,5,3)
Metro State 9, Montana State-Billings 0
Singles competition
1. Alicia Holm (MSCD) def. Kim Karlsson (MSUB) 6-0, 6-1
2. Nicole Herrmann (MSCD) def. Rikki Peach (MSUB) 6-2, 7-5
3. Nikki Amos (MSCD) def. Johnna Beatty (MSUB) 6-3, 6-0
4. Marianne Evangelista (MSCD) def. Maria Peterson (MSUB) 4-6, 7-5, 11-9
5. Nadia Khamis (MSCD) def. Libby Rutz (MSUB) 6-2, 6-1
6. Alexis Alvarez (MSCD) def. Kayla Rochin (MSUB) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Alicia Holm/Nikki Amos (MSCD) def. Kim Karlsson/Rikki Peach (MSUB) 8-4
2. Marianne Evangelista/Orzalla Nabiyar (MSCD) def. Johnna Beatty/Maria Peterson (MSUB) 8-0
3. Nadia Khamis/Sam Schall (MSCD) def. Kayla Rochin/Libby Rutz (MSUB) 8-2
Match Notes:
Montana State-Billings 6-8, 1-2 RMAC
Metro State 8-8, 3-2 RMAC; Regional ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,5,3,1,4,2)
T-3:05 A-26
