POCATELLO, Idaho – The Eastern Washington University's men's tennis team lost their first Big Sky competition today (March 18) by falling to Idaho State by a team score of 5-2.
The Eagles ended up going 1-1 this week as they defeated previous Big Sky Champions Weber State yesterday by a team score of 4-3. EWU is now 4-1 in the Big Sky as the Bengals move to 2-2 in conference.
"Hats off to Idaho State," head coach Steve Clark said. "They played like they had nothing to lose and had tons of energy. We played in numerous situations as if we playing not to lose. Bottom line is we need to pummel the ball when we have the chance."
In singles competition, junior
Scott Paz and senior
Wacil Bendjelti were the lone Eastern athletes to win matches. In the No. 3 spot, Paz defeated his opponent 6-1, 6-2. At the No. 6 spot, Bendjelti defeated his opponent by a score of 6-3 in both sets.
In doubles, senior
Robert Dula and junior
Victor Pereira teamed up for the No. 1 spot and was the one team to collect a win by defeating their opponents by a dominate 6-1.
The rest of singles and doubles were victories for Idaho State. In the No. 1 singles, Dula fell in a close battle that went to three sets (7-6, 4-6, 1-6) In the second spot, Pereira fell in a close two set match (4-6, 6-7). In the fourth spot, junior
Flavien Raveau lost to his opponent by scores of 2-6, 1-6. Rounding off EWU, was junior
Ricardo Almeida that fell to his opponent in the No. 5 spot with scores of 1-6, 4-6.
In doubles, Paz and Raveau competed as the No. 2 team and lost by a close set of 6-7. The last doubles team was Almeida and Bendjelti in the No. 3 spot and lost 3-6.
"It was a losing combination," Clark added. "We had three match points to clinch the doubles and we had set points to go into third sets. We lost the doubles point and then two of our singles were gun shy and error ridden from the start. Idaho State's number one player, even according to their coach, played the best he's ever seen him play. So all those things amounted to us coming away with a loss. Very disappointing but we need to regroup and fix some things."
The Eagles take a little break as their next match is on next Monday, March 27 against Boise State. Matches are set to start at 12:30 p.m. in Boise.
Idaho State 5, Eastern Washington 2
Singles competition
1. EDIN,Sebastian (ISU) def. DULA, Robert (EWU) 6-7, 6-4, 6-1
2. WACQUEZ,Quentin (ISU) def. PEREIRA, Victor (EWU) 6-4, 7-6
3. PAZ, Scott (EWU) def. GOODWIN,Josh (ISU) 6-1, 6-2
4. FILIPOVICH,Francis (ISU) def. RAVEAU, Flavien (EWU) 6-2, 6-1
5. SCHEEPBOUWER,Bjorn (ISU) def. ALMEIDA, Ricardo (EWU) 6-1, 6-4
6. BENDJELTI, Wacil (EWU) def. SULLIVAN,Keegan (ISU) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. DULA, Robert/PEREIRA, Victor (EWU) def. EDIN,Sebastian/GOODWIN,Josh (ISU) 6-1
2. SCHEEPBOUWER,Bjorn/SULLIVAN,Keegan (ISU) def. PAZ, Scott/RAVEAU, Flavien (EWU) 7-6
3. WACQUEZ,Quentin/FILIPOVICH,Francis (ISU) def. ALMEIDA, Ricardo/BENDJELTI, Wacil (EWU) 6-3
