Idaho falls in a battle of 2014 NCAA Tournament teams
Going up against a team that won 13-straight conference championships is a daunting task, but the Idaho women’s tennis team battled Sacramento State to the last point Friday in Cheney, Washington. The Vandals came into the match having outscored each of their last three opponents by a combined score of 19-2.
The Vandals stuck with the preseason Big Sky favorites, and despite earning the doubles point, thanks to wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, the Hornets outlasted Idaho 4-3.
“We wanted to beat them but hanging with them this early is positive,” Idaho coach Mariana Cobra said. “We may have lost but hey, we hung with the 13 time champs. Last year we lost to New Mexico State early and we beat them in conference.”
The loss was Idaho’s first Big Sky match since returning to the conference last summer. The loss dropped Idaho to 3-2 (0-1 Big Sky) on the season. Sacramento State improved to 3-4 on the season.
Idaho will try to get back into the winning column Friday when the team travels to Spokane to take on Gonzaga. Afterward, the Vandals play Northern Colorado Sunday in Lewiston.
The match proved Idaho could compete with anybody in the Big Sky, Cobra said. She said it showed they are in a good position going forward.
Idaho claimed victories at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles to continue its momentum coming off the hard-fought doubles point, but a three-set victory by Sacramento State’s Deimant Bulatovaite over Idaho’s Lucia Badillos in the No. 4 singles match-up proved to be the momentum shifter, as Idaho didn’t win a match for the rest of the contest. Sacramento State swept the final four singles matches to clinch the win.
“We want to be known for being a really good doubles team,” Cobra said. “We want, whenever we play somebody, to know that Idaho is a great doubles team.”
After Badillos won the first set in convincing fashion, she dropped the final two sets, each by two points. Sophie Vickers and Emmie Marx, despite losing in straight sets, also played in competitive matches against their opponents.
The team had its chances to get the win, Cobra said. She said the team stayed disciplined and did everything they had been working on in practice.
“We looked good overall, we just need better match-to-match game planning,” Cobra said.
Joshua Gamez can be reached at [email protected]