DENVER – Leading 3-1 and needing just one point to clinch a win, the Metropolitan State University of Denver men's tennis team was feeling good about its chances to pull off an upset over Division I Montana State on Friday.
A few close singles matches bounced the way of the Bobcats, though, and the Roadrunners fell just short of a big victory as Montana State escaped the Regency Athletic Complex with a 4-3 dual win.
"We had (Montana State) on the ropes and just let it slip a little bit," MSU Denver coach
Josh Graetz said following the first official dual of the spring season for the men's team. "Even though we didn't get the result today, I think that gives all the confidence the guys need heading into Texas."
MSU Denver got out to an early lead by capturing the doubles point, winning in the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles slots.
Mateo Besada and
Daniel Llorente were victorious in the No. 1 spot, winning 6-2 over Nejc Sitar and Grant Wood. Brothers
Billy McDermott and
Jack McDermott won a tight match in the No. 2 position, triumphing 7-6 (2) over Joaquin Espinoza and Manuel Monteiro.
The Roadrunners nearly swept doubles competition, but
David Kijak and
Alejandro Martinez-Morilla succumbed to Chase Stoner and Marcos Zelver by a 7-6 (5) score in No. 3 doubles.
Stoner tied things up at one team point apiece with a 6-3, 6-2 win over
Billy McDermott in No. 5 singles, but Llorente and
Jack McDermott won in the No. 1 and No. 6 slots to give MSU Denver a 3-1 advantage. Llorente beat Sitar by a 6-4, 6-2 score while McDermott won an exciting contest over Monteiro, 6-3, 7-6 (3).
The final four singles matches all went Montana State's way, though, and the Bobcats came from behind for the 4-3 win.
The Roadrunners didn't make it easy for their opponents, however. Besada and Martinez-Morilla each fell in closely contested, three-set matches at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, respectively.
Espinoza edged Besada, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 and Zelver beat Martinez-Morilla, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Jordi Ribera also competed well in the No. 4 spot but Christian Damgaard Qvist escaped with a 6-4, 7-6 (4) win.
"It just didn't quite go our way in the end," Graetz said. "We probably need to learn to tighten our grip in those final stages. I'm really proud of the way they competed."
Heading into a stretch of dual matches with fellow Division II competition, the men are feeling ready after three exhibitions and one official match against Division I squads.
"We've played four Division I teams this semester and we've competed really, really hard every match," Graetz said. "This is the second time we've been up 3-1 against a D-I team and just haven't quite finished it off. Those two three-setters could've gone either way and they didn't go our way."
There is certainly a promising foundation to build on for the Roadrunners, who will travel to Wichita Falls, Texas next week for three duals. The MSU Denver men will take on host Midwestern State on Thursday before matchups with Cameron (Okla.) and Southwest Baptist (Mo.) on Friday.
