Denim Millward
Sports Editor
The Idaho State women’s tennis team had mixed results last weekend.
The Bengals faced off against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds Saturday, April 5, in Reed Gym.
Idaho State got off to a red-hot start, sweeping the doubles’ 2-0. Sophomore and Oldenburg, Germany native Svenja Tegtmeier and her doubles partner, sophomore and Kamen, Germany native Wiebke Boeckmann earned the first point for the Bengals, triumphing 8-5 over Nastia Vasileva and Madeline Skara of Southern Utah.
The Bengals wrapped up the doubles point when sophomores Madelyn Weltzin and Kasey Bacon cruised past the Thunderbird duo of Jane Marushko and Sarah Lundin, 8-2.
The hot streak continued for Idaho State on court number one with junior Marian Tangarife’s victory over Alex Ivanova.
Tangarife, who hails from Bogota, Colombia won decisively, 6-2 6-2, giving Idaho State a 2-0 overall lead.
To Southern Utah’s credit, they rallied to take the next two sets, tying the overall score at 2.
Southern Utah’s Marushko defeated Tegtmeier 6-2, 6-4 on court three, while Veronika Rogove overcame a first-set loss to dominate Bacon 5-7, 6-0, 6-1.
With the score knotted up at 2, Weltzin gave the Bengals a 3-2 lead in a hard-fought triumph over Vasileva, 6-4, 5-7, 6-1.
With her team a single point from victory, Idaho State sophomore Laura Theus came through in a big way and left no doubt in her 6-1, 6-1 victory.
After the Bengals clinched the win, the remaining matches were abandoned.
Sunday, April 6 proved to be less successful for the Bengals. Northern Arizona easily won the doubles point after Box and Rochin downed Tangarife and Theus 8-5 on court one, and Vang and Spruch dominated Tegtmeier and Boeckmann 8-2.
Though ISU hoped to rally in the singles matches, their hopes were soon dashed.
Box made quick work of Tangarife on court one, winning by a score of 6-3, 6-1. Tegtmeier didn’t fair any better on court 3, losing 6-1 6-1 to Vang.
With the Bengals a single point from elimination, Weltzin fought hard but was ultimately defeated by Northern Arizona’s Hailey Rochin, 6-4, 6-4.
Following the split matches, the women are 6-12 on the season and 3-5 in Big Sky Conference play.
The team will be off for twelve days prior to their next match.
After the almost-two-week respite, the Bengals will close out the season on the road taking on Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. April 18.
The following day, the Bengals end their regular season in Portland, Ore. against Portland State University.
