Oct. 21, 2011

Final results

Junior Andrew Warren and Sophomore Mikolaj Caruk won two matches each to set up an all Grizzly consolation quarterfinal matchup at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Intermountain Regional at the Darling Tennis Center in Las Vegas, Friday.

The only problem is with that situation is that the match will never be played. The quarterfinals are the last round in the consolation bracket at the ITA Regional and the team has plane tickets back to Missoula before the match is even scheduled so the team will forego the match and head home as scheduled.

Caruk defeated 25th seeded Kieren Thompson from the University of Arizona 6-3; 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals. Warren defeated Big Sky Conference foe Brandon Lupo from Northern Colorado 6-4, 7-6 to win his match.

Coach Kris Nord was happy with what his players accomplished over the week, he was especially impressed with Warren's performance.

"I am really pleased with Andrew," Nord said. "We need him to have a successful season this year and he raised some eyebrows here."

The tournament was a test for the Grizzlies, play started at 7 a. m. every morning and continued late into the evening.

"It was a grueling test of conditioning," Nord Said. "We played a lot of tennis this week and our guys are ready to get off their feet."

The schedule took its toll on the Montana players, junior Michael Facey and senior Carl Kuschke struggled with injuries. Kuschke, the only other Griz still in the tournament today, had to retire from his third-round consolation match with 17th seeded Simon Unger from Weber State because of a sore ankle.

Overall Nord was pleased with his players' accomplishments at the tournament.

"We played tough this week," Nord said. "There were a couples matches that we let slip but that will happen when we play this much tennis."

The tournament was the final action of the fall tennis season for the Grizzlies who will now spend the next couple of months preparing for the spring tennis season which starts in late January.

"I think we will take the next week off to recoup a little and then get right back at it," Nord said.