MEN’S TENNIS DROPS BIG SKY OPENER AT MONTANA, 5-2

MISSOULA, Mont. -- Sacramento State's Marek Marksoo and Joaquin Marquez both won their singles matches, but it was not enough in the Hornets' 5-2 loss at Montana Saturday morning at the Peak Racquet Club.

The match was the Big Sky opener for the Hornets. Montana improved to 3-3 overall and 2-0 in the Big Sky while the Hornets dropped to 2-7 and 0-1 in the conference. Sacramento State has now dropped four straight after a 7-0 win against UC Riverside on Feb. 7.

Montana opened things by winning two of the three doubles matches to earn the doubles point. The Hornet tandem of Marksoo and Tom Miller won at No. 1 by an 8-5 score, but Sacramento State fell at Nos. 2 and 3.

In singles play, Marksoo won his match at No. 1 over Mikolaj Caruk, 4-6, 6-2, 10-8. Marquez won his match at No. 6 in an eight-game pro set by an 8-2 score. The two teams had only four courts to play on, and Montana had already clinched the win after the first four singles matches had concluded, so the matches at Nos. 5 and 6 were pro sets rather than the traditional 2-out-of-3 sets format.

The Hornets, who still have yet to play with reigning first team all-Big Sky performer Sean Kolar because of a knee injury, return to action tomorrow when they play at Montana State at 9 a.m. PST.