SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Idaho State women's tennis team concluded its California road trip with a 4-3 loss to Point Loma Monday afternoon. The Bengals won the doubles point before finishing 2-4 in singles play in a string of tight matches.
"It was a tough match today," said Head Coach
Gretchen Maloney. "We didn't capitalize on winning the doubles point. In singles we lost four close matches. We needed to play a bit cleaner on the big points."
Point Loma took the first doubles match at No. 2, putting the Bengals on the defensive.
Madison Fenske and
Melissa Coburn evened the score with a 6-3 victory at No. 3 doubles. The point rested in the hands of
Hristina Cvetkovic and
Megan Poe who scrapped for a close 7-5 win to give ISU the point.
Cvetkovic then lost a competitive singles match to PLNU's Gabi Armas. Armas swept Cvetkovic in the opening frame before the latter returned the favor to force a third set. Armas was able to take the match with a 6-3 win.
Alexandra Arkhipov put Idaho State back on top despite starting her match at a disadvantage. The freshman fell 2-6 in the opener before claiming the encounter with 6-3 and 6-1 wins.
Point Loma stole the next two points to put victory within reach, but Coburn evened the series at 3-3 with a 6-4, 7-6 (11-9) win at No. 3 singles.
The match came down to play at the No. 1 court where PLNU's Shelby Groenveld prevailed over
Louise-Mare Botes in a three-set battle.
The match put a bookend on Idaho State's four-game schedule in the Golden State. The Bengals finished 2-2 with wins over Irvine Valley College and Chapman University, bringing ISU's season record to 3-3.
Idaho State opens conference play this week with a home match against Idaho on Saturday, Feb. 16. The Bengals and Vandals begin play at noon. The match will be the first of a three-game homestand for ISU.
"Overall it was a good road trip," Maloney said. "We are looking forward to three home matches."
#21 (DII) Point Loma 4, Idaho State 3
Singles competition
1. Shelby Groeneveld (PLNU-WT) def. BOTES, Louise-Mare (ISU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1
2. Gabi Armas (PLNU-WT) def. CVETKOVIC, Hristina (ISU) 6-0, 0-6, 6-3
3. COBURN, Melissa (ISU) def. Ellie Gamble (PLNU-WT) 6-4, 7-6 (11-9)
4. ARKHIPOV, Alexandra (ISU) def. Taylor McGowan (PLNU-WT) 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
5. Michelle Torres (PLNU-WT) def. WALKER, Angela (ISU) 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
6. Nicole Camaratta (PLNU-WT) def. POE, Megan (ISU) 6-4, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. CVETKOVIC, Hristina/POE, Megan (ISU) def. Ellie Gamble/Gabi Armas (PLNU-WT) 7-5
2. Shelby Groeneveld/Michelle Torres (PLNU-WT) def. ARKHIPOV, Alexandra/BOTES, Louise-Mare (ISU) 6-2
3. FENSKE, Madison/COBURN, Melissa (ISU) def. Nicole Camaratta/Taylor McGowan (PLNU-WT) 6-3
Match Notes:
Idaho State 3-3
Point Loma 2-1; National ranking #21
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (2,4,5,6,3,1)
T-3:34 A-32
