Cats Fall in Nail-Biter

Friday, April 4

BOZEMAN

10 a.m.

Montana State University

Idaho

Angel Bean recorded a 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 win at No. 4 singles on Friday afternoon.

Photo by: Brian Morse

4/4/2025 5:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis

“It was a battle,” said MSU head coach Suzie Woodburn. “We played with great energy and attitude, and we competed at every spot. Sometimes you win the close ones, and sometimes you lose them, but we learned a lot. We had our opportunities but didn’t take advantage of them and that was the difference.”

By: Tom Schulz

Idaho rallied from a from a 5-4 deficit at No. 2 doubles winning three consecutive games for a 7-5 victory to clinch the doubles point, en route to a 4-3 decision over Montana State on Friday afternoon in the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center.

Montana State's (8-9, 2-3) top doubles tandem of Meg McCarty and Jojo Bach cruised to a 6-0 win at No. 1 over Idaho's (13-3, 5-1) Lena Beckx and Ida Johansson. The Vandals evened doubles play with a 6-4 victory at No. 3 on the ladder, setting up the decisive contest at No. 2 where Valentina Rodas and Naomi Schraeder combined for the win over Marta Garcia-Reboredo and Hudson Hawkins.

The Bobcats opened singles play with two consecutive victories as freshman Nia Gelashvili captured a 7-5, 6-4 decision at No. 4, followed by McCarty's 7-5, 6-2 win over Diana Khaydarshina at No. 2.

Idaho evened the contest at 2-2 as Annabel Davis came back from a 6-3 first set loss to down Garcia-Reboredo 6-4, 6-3 at the top spot. Bobcat sophomore Angel Bean recorded a hard-fought 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 victory at No. 4, giving MSU a 3-2 advantage.

Rodas won at No. 5 singles 6-1, 7-6(5) over Hawkins, forcing the match to be decided at No. 6 singles. Idaho's Chenyue Xu held off Kavya Khirwar 7-4 in a first set tiebreaker and took the second set 6-2 to give the Vandals the match.

"It was a battle," said MSU head coach Suzie Woodburn. "We played with great energy and attitude, and we competed at every spot. Sometimes you win the close ones, and sometimes you lose them, but we learned a lot. We had our opportunities but didn't take advantage of them and that was the difference."

Montana State hosts Idaho State on Sunday at 9 a.m. in the BATC.

Idaho 4, Montana 3

Doubles:

Jojo Bach/Meg McCarty (MSU) d. Lena Beckx/Ida Johansson, 6-0
Valentina Rodas/Naomi Schraeder (UI) d. Marta Garcia-Reboredo/Hudson Hawkins, 7-5
Diana Khaydarshina/Hanna Koprowska (UI) d. Angel Bean/Kavya Khirwar, 6-4