Cats Drop Season Finale

Saturday, April 20

BOZEMAN

10 a.m.

Montana State University

Montana

Cats celebrate senior Linda Vink prior to its match against Montana.

4/20/2019 3:40:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

“Getting the doubles point was a great way to start,” said MSU head coach Jon Reeves. “We had good energy, competed hard and fought through the whole thing.”

By: Tom Schulz

BOZEMAN, Mont. – Montana rallied from a 3-2 deficit with victories at Nos. 5 and 6 singles to post a 4-3 decision over Montana State in the final match of the season for both squads on Saturday afternoon in the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center.

Montana State (3-16, 1-9) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as Laura Mary's overhead smash at No. 1 doubles secured the first point. Mary and Linnea Fristam defeated Montana's (4-17, 4-6) Julia Ronney and Bianca Bostrom 6-4. The doubles point was setup by MSU's No. 3 tandem of Annie Walker and Sara Iverson who downed Nathalie Joanlanne and Alex Walker 6-3.

"Getting the doubles point was a great way to start," said MSU head coach Jon Reeves. "We had good energy, competed hard and fought through the whole thing."

UM tied the match as Bostrom opened singles play at the No. 3 slot with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Fristam. Annie Walker followed putting MSU up a point as she rallied for a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Lauren Dunlap.

Ronney fought back from a first set loss in a tiebreaker to Mary to record a 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 win at the top spot to even the match at two-all. The Cats' Enni Zander gave Montana State a 3-2 lead after defeating Joanlanne 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 at No. 4 singles.

UM then took straight sets wins at Nos. 5 and 6 to rally for the win.

"Unfortunately, we had some things go against us, but they did too," Reeves said. "The match played out exactly how we thought. We knew it was going to be tight and very competitive. It came down to a couple of little things here and there."

Prior to the match, the Bobcats celebrated the career of its lone senior Linda Vink.

"Linda battled through her four years and faced more adversity then I'd ever wish upon any kid," Reeves said. "I'm really proud she came back for her senior year. She really gave it her best effort. She knows she didn't leave anything on the table, and I can't ask for anything more than that."

Montana 4, Montana State 3

Singles:
1. RONNEY, Julia (UM) def. MARY, Laura (MSU) 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-3
2. WALKER, Annie (MSU) def. DUNLAP, Lauren (UM) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
3. BOSTROM, Bianca (UM) def. FRISTAM, Linnea (MSU) 6-4, 6-1
4. ZANDER, Enni (MSU) def. JOANLANNE, Nathalie (UM) 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3
5. DUKIC, Lidia (UM) def. VINK, Linda (MSU) 6-3, 7-5
6. REGUANT, Claudia (UM) def. IVERSON, Sara (MSU) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles:
1. MARY, Laura/FRISTAM, Linnea (MSU) def. RONNEY, Julia/BOSTROM, Bianca (UM) 6-4
2. ZANDER, Enni/VINK, Linda (MSU) vs. DUKIC, Lidia/DUNLAP, Lauren (UM) 5-4, unfinished
3. WALKER, Annie/IVERSON, Sara (MSU) def. JOANLANNE, Nathalie/WALKER, Alex (UM) 6-3

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