CHUBBUCK, Idaho – The Idaho State women's tennis team opened its 2026 fall season with a strong three-day showing at the Idaho State Invitational, welcoming Montana, Montana State and Utah Tech to Pocatello.
Competing in a mini-dual format, with each matchup consisting of one doubles match and two singles matches, the Bengals were represented across the Orange, Black and Bengal draws. Idaho State picked up several impressive performances throughout the weekend, highlighted by Emmy Richards and Veronika Zarovna posting a pair of 3–0 team victories in the Orange Draw, while newcomers Daisy Carpenter, Sophie Schorm and Macy Richards earned their first wins in a Bengal uniform.
"We always love having the opportunity to compete at home, and I was really pleased with how our team competed this weekend," head coach Gretchen Maloney said. "The girls fought hard, made adjustments when they needed to and showed a lot of heart and grit. I'm really excited about this group."
Day One
Idaho State opened the tournament with a strong first day, winning all four team matchups in which a Bengal duo competed.
In the Orange Draw, Emmy Richards and Veronika Zarovna swept Montana's Emma Marais and Rebecka Jerlardtz, 3–0. Richards and Zarovna opened with an 8–3 doubles victory before Richards defeated Marais, 6–3, 6–4. Zarovna completed the sweep with one of the day's toughest wins, rallying from a set down to defeat Jerlardtz, 4–6, 7–6 (7–5), 6–3.
The Black Draw saw Daisy Carpenter and Sophie Schorm earn a 2–1 victory over Utah Tech's Maya Inouye and Adriana Zurita Berdecio. Carpenter and Schorm battled through a tiebreak for an 8–7 (7–3) doubles win before Carpenter rallied for a 2–6, 6–4, 6–3 victory over Inouye.
In the Bengal Draw, Victoria Grymalska and Macy Richards defeated Montana State's Mia Tombari and Elle Middleton, 2–1. The Bengals took the doubles match 8–6, while Richards followed with a 6–4, 6–2 singles victory over Middleton.
Idaho State also earned another 2–1 result in the Bengal Draw behind Emmy Richards, Daisy Carpenter and Sophie Schorm. Richards and Carpenter took the doubles match 8–7 (7–5), and Richards followed with a marathon 6–3, 6–7 (5–7), 7–5 singles victory over Montana's Kamila Slovakova.
Day Two
The Bengals continued to battle throughout Saturday's action, with Carpenter and Richards adding to their strong starts to the tournament.
Richards and Zarovna faced Utah Tech's Mariana Zurita Berdecio and Ana Gutierrez Sampere in the Orange Draw. After narrowly dropping the doubles match, 8–7 (7–3), Richards responded with a straight-set 6–4, 6–3 victory over Zurita Berdecio.
In the Black Draw, Carpenter and Schorm picked up their second team victory of the weekend, defeating Montana's Kate Pritchard and Allison Crane, 2–1.
The Bengal duo opened with an 8–3 doubles victory before Carpenter once again showed her ability to respond after dropping an opening set. Carpenter battled back to defeat Pritchard, 6–7 (2–7), 6–3, 6–1, giving her a second consecutive three-set singles victory.
Day Three
Idaho State finished the weekend on a high note, led by another complete performance from Richards and Zarovna in the Orange Draw.
The pair swept Montana State's Angel Bean and Naomi Jin, 3–0, beginning the day with an 8–5 doubles victory.
Richards then completed an impressive weekend in singles with a 6–4, 6–1 victory over Bean, while Zarovna once again showed her ability to respond after an opening-set loss. The Bengal battled back to defeat Jin, 3–6, 6–2, 6–2, completing the sweep.
Schorm also closed the tournament with a victory in the Black Draw. After Carpenter and Schorm fell to Montana State's Lola Bean and Stela Sifuentes in doubles, Schorm responded with a 7–5, 6–3 victory over Sifuentes.
Grymalska rounded out Idaho State's singles action in the Bengal Draw, battling Montana State's Lola House before falling, 6–3, 6–4.
Up Next
Idaho State now turns its attention to its next fall test as the Bengals travel to the Air Force Academy for the ITA Bedford Cup in the Mountains, where a Bengal has won a draw the last two seasons.
"We're headed to Air Force to keep working and building," Maloney said. "This group plays with a lot of heart and grit, and I'm excited to see us continue to grow."
