BOX SCORE - PDF | HTML

VANCOUVER, Wash. — The Portland State men's tennis dropped a heartbreaker to Montana State Friday, losing 4-3 to the Bobcats in a highly competitive match at Club Green Meadows.
 
The Vikings (2-3, 0-2 Big Sky) won the doubles point off the Bobcats (2-3, 2-0 Big Sky), but then saw the Bobcats take four of the six singles matches, including the decisive win at line six.
 
The Vikings pulled out a pair of tight matches in winning the doubles point, as they won 6-4 at both line one and three. Senior Stuart Tierney and junior Ian Risenhoover took care of Montana State's Niklas Brandes and Javier Martin Morillas at line one for the Vikings, while junior Brent Wheeler and sophomore Ethan Lopez pulled out a win against Andre Napoliatano and Dylan Harvala at line three.
 
Friday's doubles-point win continues a strong streak in doubles for the Vikings, as they have now won the doubles point in four of their five matches during the dual season, with their only loss coming in their season opener against then-No. 64 Washington.
 
The Bobcats responded well from the start of singles, however, especially at the top, where Napoliatano cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 win over Lopez at line one, leveling the dual overall at 1-1. Additionally, Montana State's Harry James followed with a win over Portland State's Wil Cochrane at line five, as he came back from a deficit in the first-set tiebreaker of their match to beat Cochrane 7-6 (5), 6-3.
 
James' win put the Bobcats up 2-1 in the dual, but Tierney came back with an impressive win at line two for the Vikings to level the dual once again. Tierney was facing Brandes, a three-time All-Big Sky first-team selection, at line two, but seemed to have no problems early on as he cruised to a 6-0 win in the first set. Brandes came back to make the second set much tighter, but Tierney pulled it out in a tiebreaker to win the match 6-0, 7-6 (5).
 
Tierney has now won both his matches at line two for the Vikings, and enters the Vikings' next match on a two-match winning streak after starting the dual season with three straight losses.
 
The Bobcats pushed ahead again after Tierney's win, however, as Martin Morillas wrapped up a 6-4, 6-3 win over Wheeler at line three to give the Bobcats a 3-2 lead in the dual.
 
The Vikings fired right back, though, with junior Matt Pronesti stepping up for the team this time as he pulled out a three-set win over Montana State's Kellen Bates at line four to level the dual again at 3-3. Pronesti had to shake off a tough, second-set loss to win his match against Bates, as well as a late charge from Bates in the third set. Pronesti led Bates 4-0 in the third set, but got broken while serving for the match at 5-2. Pronesti immediately bounced back, however, breaking Bates in the next game to clinch the match 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
 
Pronesti is now 2-0 since moving up to line four for the Vikings, and has won seven of his last eight singles matches.
 
With Pronesti's win, the dual came down to line six, where Risenhoover and Harvala were in the middle of a tight, three-set match. Harvala had taken the first set off Risenhoover, 6-3, but Risenhoover came back with a 7-5 win in the second set. Harvala had a break chance at 3-3 in the second set, but Risenhoover fought that off before breaking Harvala in the final game of the set to force a third.
 
Once in the third, Risenhoover served first and ran out to an early lead in the set, but again ran into trouble while serving at 3-3. Unlike in the second set, however, Harvala completed the break chance this time, putting him up 4-3 in the third. Harvala then held in the next game before breaking Risenhoover again to clinch the match, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, and seal the dual for the Bobcats.
 
Fortunately for the Vikings, they will have a chance to quickly shake off the loss to the Bobcats, as they host cross-town rival Portland at West Hills Racquet and Fitness Club Saturday at 5:30 p.m. (PT).
 
Match Notes: The Vikings fall to 1-9 all-time against Montana State with Friday's loss…The Vikings have won the doubles point in each of their two Big Sky matches so far, but have gone on to lose each match…All three of the Vikings' typical doubles team have winning percentages of .700 or higher.

Montana State 4, Portland State 3
Feb 13, 2015 at Vancouver, Wash. (Club Green Meadows) 

Singles competition

1. NAPOLIATANO, Andre (MSU) def. LOPEZ, Ethan (PSU) 6-3, 6-2

2. TIERNEY, Stuart (PSU) def. BRANDES, Niklas (MSU) 6-0, 7-6 (7-5)

3. MARTIN-MORILLAS, J. (MSU) def. WHEELER, Brent (PSU) 6-4, 6-3

4. PRONESTI, Matt (PSU) def. BATES, Kellen (MSU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3

5. JAMES, Harry (MSU) def. COCHRANE, Wil (PSU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3

6. HARVALA, Dylan (MSU) def. RISENHOOVER, Ian (PSU) 6-3, 5-7, 6-3

 

Doubles competition

1. TIERNEY, Stuart/RISENHOOVER, Ian (PSU) def. BRANDES, Niklas/MARTIN-MORILLAS, J. (MSU) 6-4

2. JAMES, Harry/BATES, Kellen (MSU) def. PRONESTI, Matt/COCHRANE, Wil (PSU) 6-4

3. WHEELER, Brent/LOPEZ, Ethan (PSU) def. NAPOLIATANO, Andre/HARVALA, Dylan (MSU) 6-4

 

Match Notes

Montana State 2-3, 2-0 BSC

Portland State 2-3, 0-2 BSC

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (1,5,2,3,4,6)