The University of Idaho men’s and women’s tennis teams competed in separate tournaments over the weekend, with the women represented at the ITA Conference Masters Championships in Georgia and the men taking part in the Gonzaga Fall Invitational in Spokane, Washington.
Both squads faced competition from several programs, picking up individual victories throughout the weekend as they continued their fall tournament schedules.
Women’s tennis
Idaho women’s tennis was represented at the ITA Conference Masters Championships by freshman Yu-Ching Hsieh. The tournament featured 32 conferences, including the Big Sky, and is held annually at the Rome Tennis Center in Georgia.
With athletes representing conferences from across the country, the tournament provided Hsieh an opportunity to compete against opponents outside the Big Sky. As Idaho’s lone representative, Hsieh carried the Vandals into the singles competition, opening play Nov. 5 in the round of 32 against Bryant University’s Yahli Noy.
Hsieh made an immediate impact, earning a straight-set victory over Noy, 6-3, 6-2. The win advanced her into the next round and gave Idaho an opening victory at the tournament.
Following her first-round performance, Hsieh returned to the court the next day to face the University of Kansas’ Kyoka Kubo. Kubo proved to be a tougher challenge, defeating Hsieh in straight sets, 1-6, 3-6.
Despite the second-round loss, Hsieh secured a tournament victory against Bryant and represented Idaho in a field featuring 32 conferences. Her appearance also gave the freshman an opportunity to gain experience against competition from outside the Big Sky as the Vandals continue preparing for their spring season.
Men’s tennis
The Vandal men’s tennis team participated in the Gonzaga Fall Invitational at the Stevens Center in Spokane from Nov. 5-8.
In the tournament’s red bracket, Idaho’s Eric Wang faced the University of Portland’s Tannor Binder but fell in a close match, 3-6, 5-7. Mikolaj Lis picked up a victory for the Vandals, defeating Boise State’s Eyad Ezzat 6-4, 6-3. Lis later faced Gonzaga’s Diego Herrera, falling 6-7, 2-6.
In the white bracket, Noe De Col fell to Montana State’s Ethan Masselis, 6-7, 3-6. Erik Vladimirov earned a three-set victory over Montana State’s Eddie Biss, winning 6-3, 6-7, 7-6. Vladimirov later faced Oregon’s Declan Galligan but fell 2-6, 4-6.
The blue bracket saw another Vandal victory as Xavier Martin defeated the University of Portland’s Elijah Noel in a three-set match, 7-6, 2-6, 6-2. Martin then concluded his singles tournament showing against Portland State’s Kawelo Tsuneyoshi, falling 2-6, 1-6.
Additional singles matches brought mixed results for Idaho. Lis continued his strong weekend with a 7-6, 6-3 victory over Gonzaga’s Noah Pawirodirjo. Wang fell to Oregon’s Kohshi Ishibashi, 6-3, 6-4, while Vladimirov earned another win by defeating Montana State’s Gareth Igesund, 6-4, 6-2.
Lis added another victory against Ishibashi, winning 6-4, 6-4. Boise State’s Ezzat later defeated Idaho’s Vladimirov in additional match play.
In doubles competition, the Vandals also picked up victories across multiple flights. In flight A, the Idaho pairing of Wang and Lis defeated Portland State’s Schotanus and Cravanzola, 6-3.
Flight B saw Idaho’s Martin and Vladimirov fall to Gonzaga’s Dunlop and Mitchell, 1-6. The Vandal duo responded in a later matchup, defeating Gonzaga’s Hutchinson and Hernandez, 6-2.
Wang and Lis continued their doubles success with a 6-3 victory over Boise State’s Brayden Tallakson and Ezzat. The pair ultimately fell to Montana State’s Biss and Stewart, 3-6, to close out their doubles competition.
Women’s tennis will open its spring season against Washington State on Jan. 22 in Pullman. The men’s team is scheduled to compete next at the NCAA Championships in Athens, Georgia, Nov. 17-2.