Despite winning the opening doubles point, the Montana State women's tennis team dropped five of six singles matches as Utah State notched a 5-2 win over the Bobcats, Thursday afternoon.
MSU opened the match winning at Nos. 2 and 3 doubles as the tandems of Ali Griffin and Jennifer Coll, along with Andrea De La Torre and Lucy Fairbotham each won by a cushion of two games or more.
Bobcat freshman Charlotta Hjalmarsson was the only Montana State player to record in singles victory, defeating USU's K. Voytsekhovich in straight sets 7-5, 6-2 at the No. 3 spot.
Junior Andrea De La Torre came up just short at No. 5 singles, dropping a 1-6, 6-3, 12-10 decision to the Aggies' Taylor Perry.
“We did a super job competing in doubles,” said MSU head coach Denise Albrecht. “I thought we took a step forward and that will help us a we head into conference play the next two days.”
MSU will play at Weber State on Friday and Idaho State on Saturday.
Results: Utah State 5, Montana State 2. Singles: 1. Hailey Swenson (USU) def. Laura Villegas (MSU), 6-2, 6-4; 2. Jaclyn West (USU) def. Ali Griffin (MSU), 6-4, 6-3; 3. C. Hjalmarrson (MSU) def. K. Voytsekhovich (USU), 7-5, 6-2; 4. Monica Abella (USU) def. Jennifer Coll (MSU), 6-2, 6-3; 5. Taylor Perry (USU) def. Andrea De La Torre (MSU), 1-6, 6-3, 12-10; 6. Britney Watts (USU) def. Lucy Fairbotham (MSU), 6-1, 6-1. Doubles: 1. Hailey Swenson/Jaclyn West (USU) def. Laura Villegas/C. Hjalmarrson (MSU), 8-3; 2. Ali Griffin/Jennifer Coll (MSU) def. Monica Abella/K. Voytsekhovich (USU), 8-4; 3. Andrea De La Torre/Lucy Fairbotham (MSU) def. Taylor Perry/Britney Watts (USU), 8-6.