Men's tennis earns first-ever Big Sky win with 4-3 triumph against Idaho State

GREELEY, Colo. -- Northern Colorado's men’s tennis team earned its first victory of the 2009 season and its first-ever Big Sky Conference victory Sunday, Feb. 15, with a 4-3 win against Idaho State at Work Out West.

The five-hour match followed the Bears' 6-1 defeat to Montana State on Saturday, Feb. 14.

Northern Colorado started off strong against the Bengals on Sunday, with Adam Perez and Calix Van Lier (No. 1 doubles) and Jordan Boecker and Clay Mundell (No. 2) all getting doubles wins and earning the Bears (1-7, 1-3 Big Sky Conference) their first doubles point this season.

Perez and Van Lier knocked off ISU's top team of Javier Royo and Ross DeChant, 9-8 (7-2), and Boecker and Mundell came out on top, 8-6, against Daniel Barrenchea and Alex Buceta.

“We worked on the doubles point all week in practice and finally got it in Sunday’s match.” Northern Colorado coach Steve Williams said. “I thought that was big to get that point and the momentum that carries over to the singles.”

In singles action, Van Lier (No. 2) took out Barrenchea, 6-2, 7-5, before the Bengals won three straight matches (No. 1, 3 and 4) for a 3-2 lead.

Mundell (No. 5) then knocked off Idaho State's Dan Buckingham, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2, to tie the match at 3-3.

The pressure was then on for Northern Colorado freshman Andre Lepine (No. 6), who, after splitting the first two sets, 7-5, 3-6, fought back from a service break in the third set to win 6-2 and seal the Bears' first victory of the season.

“This was a much-needed win and a confidence boost for the guys.” Williams said. “I’m proud of the team and how they responded to the pressure.”

Perez (No. 2 singles) got Northern Colorado's only point against the Bobcats on Saturday, defeating Pawel Turzanski, 6-2, 7-5, for his first singles victory of the spring.

The Bears will continue Big Sky play Saturday, Feb. 21, when they take on Weber State at 2 p.m. at Work Out West.

Montana State 6, Northern Colorado 1 (Saturday, Feb. 14)
Singles
Corey Smith (MSU) def. Calix Van Lier (NC) 6-1, 6-3
Adam Perez (NC) def. Pawel Turzanski (MSU), 6-2, 7-5
Fletcher Keyes (MSU) def. Jordan Boecker (NC), 6-2, 6-2
Jakub Dybala (MSU) def. Andy Green (NC), 6-0, 6-0
Alberto Fuentes (MSU) def. Clay Mundell (NC), 6-1, 6-2
Miles Perkins (MSU) def. Andre Lepine (NC), 6-4, 6-3

Doubles
Dybala/Turzanski (MSU) def. Adam Perez/Van Lier (NC), 8-5
Fuentes/Smith (MSU) def. Boecker/Mundell (NC, 8-1
Estaban Ferrero/Perkins (MSU) def. Green/Lepine (NC), 8-4

Northern Colorado 4, Idaho State 3 (Sunday, Feb. 15)
Singles
Javier Royo (ISU) def. Adam Perez (NC) 6-4, 6-4
Calix Van Lier (NC) def. Daniel Barrenchea (ISU), 6-2, 7-5
Alex Buceta (ISU) def. Jordan Boecker (NC), 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
Ross DeChant (ISU) def. Andy Green (NC), 6-4, 6-0
Clay Mundell (NC) def. Dan Buckingham (ISU), 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
Andre Lepine (NC) def. Andres Mancero (ISU), 7-5, 2-6, 6-3

Doubles
Perez/Van Lier (NC) def. Royo/DeChant (ISU), 9-8 (7-2)
Boecker/Mundell (NC) def. Barrenchea/Buceta (ISU), 8-6
Buckingham/David Kutchins (ISU) def. Green/Lepine (NC), 8-6