The Montana State men’s tennis team will travel to Pocatello to face Idaho State on March 28, following its first road win in two years. The Bobcats previously defeated Idaho State 4-3 in Bozeman on Feb. 1, but the upcoming match presents new challenges.
This matchup is significant as Idaho State has a strong home record this season, standing at 3-0 at home and holding a Big Sky Conference win over Portland State. “They’re very good at home,” said Montana State coach Mateus Ceolin. He also noted that the Bengals have impressive victories against Montana and nationally-ranked Gonzaga.
Valentino De Pellegrin leads Idaho State from the top ladder position with a 7-4 record at No. 1 singles, while Sep de Visser remains undefeated at No. 2 singles with a 5-0 record. “They have excellent talent on the top spots of the lineup and they compete extremely well at the bottom,” Ceolin said. “We will have our hands full and will need to be our best versions to come out of Pocatello with the win.”
Montana State has made several mid-season lineup changes that appear to be paying off, particularly with Yassin Elaroussy’s move to No. 1 singles helping captain Andre Stewart perform better in his matches at No. 2 singles. Stewart secured a straight-set victory during last week’s match against Idaho, while Oumar Diallo won his contest at No. 3 singles.
Currently, Idaho State is ranked with a season record of six wins and seven losses overall (1-2 in conference play), while Montana State holds an overall record of five wins and nine losses (1-1 in conference). The Bobcats look to build momentum after their recent success as they prepare for Saturday’s important conference matchup.
