DENVER – Opening up Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play on Saturday with a pair of matches, the Montana State University Billings men's tennis team lost to Western New Mexico 9-0 and to Metro State University 9-0 at the Regency Athletic Complex.
 
The Yellowjackets (0-8, 0-2 RMAC) dropped their first two conference matches of the season, struggling to gain momentum in either match in the losses.
 
"The men had a tough day today due to injury," commented MSUB head coach Becky King. "We lost our number two player early in the day leaving us at a disadvantage."
 
Josh Hedderig was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day for MSUB after returning to the court strongly from an injury.
 
Match 1 – Western New Mexico 9, MSU Billings 0
 
The Mustangs cruised to the shutout victory over the Yellowjackets, sweeping through MSUB in singles play and taking care of business in doubles action to complete the win.
 
For MSUB, freshman Robert Pike was the lone player to win a set, as he jumped out to an early lead by winning the first against Omar Lopez at No. 6 singles. Lopez responded however, and completed a tough 2-6, 6-3, 10-8 win to seal the sweep in singles play.
 
At the No. 1 spot in singles, Santiago de la Rosa Mora put up a good fight against Juan Pablo Fuentes, but the latter emerged with a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 win to set the tone. Alvaro Nunez and Vladimir Gnilozubov had strong wins for WNMU in their singles matches, defeating Austin Kische 6-0, 6-1 and Daniil Gorkov 6-1, 6-0, respectively.
 
Returning to action for MSUB after missing the previous series of matches with a hand injury, Hedderig had a strong showing at No. 5 singles. Pablo Santibanez came out on top however, picking up the 6-4, 6-3 victory.
 
In doubles play, the No. 1 team of de la Rosa Mora and Kische competed well against Gnilozubov and Tristan Da Lio, but the WNMU duo held on for an 8-5 win. Nunez and Fuentes took down MSUB's Brandon Beardsley and Pike at No. 2 doubles 8-4, and J-L Pageault combined with Santibanez to defeat Gorkov and Hedderig at No. 3 doubles 8-2.
 
The Mustangs improved to 7-9 and 1-0 in RMAC play on the spring with the victory over the Yellowjackets.
 
Results
Doubles
No. 1 – Gnilozubov and Da Lio (WNMU) def. de la Rosa Mora and Kische (MSUB) 8-5
No. 2 – Nunez and Fuentes (WNMU) def. Beardsley and Pike (MSUB) 8-4
No. 3 – Pageault and Santibanez (WNMU) def. Gorkov and Hedderig (MSUB) 8-2
 
Singles
No. 1 – Fuentes (WNMU) def. de la Rosa Mora (MSUB) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
No. 2 – Pageault (WNMU) def. Beardsley (MSUB) retired
No. 3 – Nunez (WNMU) def. Kische (MSUB) 6-0, 6-1
No. 4 – Gnilozubov (WNMU) def. Gorkov (MSUB) 6-1, 6-0
No. 5 – Santibanez (WNMU) def. Hedderig (MSUB) 6-4, 6-3
No. 6 – Lopez (WNMU) def. Pike (MSUB) 2-6, 6-3, 10-8
 
Match 2 – Metro State University Denver 9, MSU Billings 0
 
The Yellowjackets struggled to keep pace with the Roadrunners, being swept in both singles and doubles play to close out their first day of action in the 2015 conference schedule.
 
At No. 1 singles Josh Graetz took down de la Rosa Mora 6-3, 6-1, while Nick Baker defeated Kische at No. 2 singles 6-0, 6-2.
 
Hedderig put up a strong showing for MSUB at No. 5 singles, but Trevor Jones held him off for the 6-2, 7-6 (7-0) win. Gorkov retired at No. 3 singles after losing the first set 6-1 to Calum Hayes. Pike fell to MSUD's John Qualls at No. 4 singles as the Roadrunners completed the sweep of the 'Jackets.
 
In doubles play, both MSUB teams lost 8-1 and the Yellowjackets forfeited the No. 3 position to give MSUD its final point.
 
The Roadrunners improved to 9-7 on the season and are now 1-1 in RMAC play.
 
Results
Doubles
No. 1 – Graetz and Baker (MSUD) def. de la Rosa Mora and Kische (MSUB) 8-1
No. 2 – Sam Stember and Ludvig Henrikson (MSUD) def. Gorkov and Hedderig (MSUB) 8-1
No. 3 – Qualls and Hayes (MSUD) won by default
 
Singles
No. 1 – Graetz (MSUD) def. de la Rosa Mora (MSUB) 6-3, 6-1
No. 2 – Baker (MSUD) def. Kische (MSUB) 6-0, 6-2
No. 3 – Hayes (MSUD) def. Gorkov (MSUB) 6-1, retired
No. 4 – Qualls (MSUD) def. Pike (MSUB) 6-1, 6-2
No. 5 – Jones (MSUD) def. Hedderig (MSUB) 6-2, 7-6 (7-0)
No. 6 – Porter Emery (MSUD) won by default
 
NEXT UP: The Yellowjackets jump back into RMAC play on Saturday with a 2:30 p.m. match scheduled against Colorado State University – Pueblo.