Montana State senior Laura Villegas posted a three-set victory over Weber State's Greyce Farias to lift the Bobcats to their first Big Sky Conference win of the season, as MSU downed the Wildcats 4-3, Friday afternoon.
Villegas, a native of Cota, Columbia, dropped the opening set 6-3 to Farias at No. 2 singles, but rebounded capturing the next two sets, 6-3, 6-2.
“Despite losing (the previous match on Thursday) to Utah State, I thought that match gave us a lot of confidence heading into our match with Weber,” Villegas said. “We were hungry and really wanted to get the win. We all just dug down deep and gave it our best effort.”
MSU's other senior, Ali Griffin, also went the distance and overcame a 6-2 loss in the opening set with a 6-2, 6-0 performance to get the win. The Bobcats also received points from Charlotta Hjarlmarsson at No. 3 and Jennifer Coll at No. 5 singles, respectively.
MSU opened the match dropping the doubles point, as WSU won at Nos. 2 and 3. The Bobcats won the top doubles spot as the tandem of Villegas and Griffin posted an 8-6 win over Farias and Eljse Beneke.
“After dropping the opening point, and then seeing us down a set at No. 1 and 2, it was a little discouraging,” said MSU head coach Denise Albrecht. “But that's when we found another gear and started to battle for every point. We got the momentum and the match started to swing our way. I'm very proud of the effort we received from all six players.”
MSU will close out its three-match road swing at Idaho State in Pocatello on Saturday morning.
Results: Montana State 4, Weber State 3. Singles: 1. Ali Griffin (MSU) d. Keya Jenkins 2-6, 6-2, 6-0; Laura Villegas (MSU) d. Greyce Farias 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; 3. Charlotta Hjalmarsson (MSU) d. Eljse Beneke 7-5, 6-4; 4. Brittiny Moore (WSU) d. Andera De La Torre 6-3, 6-4; 5. Jennifer Coll (MSU) d. Caroline Drugge 6-2, 7-5; 6. Kassia Adamson (WSU) d. Lucy Fairbotham 6-0, 7-6(3). Doubles: 1. Hjalmarsson/Villegas (MSU) d. Farias/Beneke 8-6; 2. Moore/Drugge (WSU) d. Griffin/Coll 8-4; 3. Jenkins/Adamson (WSU) d. De La torre/Fairbotham 8-1.