Idaho Men’s Tennis secured its second consecutive Big Sky Tournament berth with a decisive victory over Weber State, according to an April 13 announcement.
The team’s qualification for the tournament is significant as it demonstrates resilience in the face of injuries and challenging matchups throughout the season. The Vandals finished their recent stretch of matches with a record of 8-16, highlighted by key performances and lineup adjustments.
Against Portland State, Idaho adjusted its doubles lineup due to injuries but managed to take an early lead before falling 1-6 in singles play. The following day against Portland, individual victories by Lis and De Col were not enough to overcome the Pilots, resulting in a 2-5 loss. In their match against Utah, Idaho achieved its best finish yet against that opponent. The team captured the doubles point with wins from Amadike and Moroder as well as Lis and De Col. Amadike went on to secure a singles victory after a third-set tiebreaker, while Lis also delivered a strong performance.
The crucial win came against Weber State where freshman Valentine Glasl stepped up after Wang left with an injury. Head Coach Raleigh Grossbaum said, “The MVP of this match, Valentine Glasl, freshman from Austria, was incredible.” Grossbaum recounted his conversation with Glasl: “What do you think? If I put you in, do you think you’re going to get it done? How confident are you?” Glasl replied confidently: “Coach. I got this.” The pair then secured a convincing doubles win.
Building on momentum from doubles play, Idaho won five out of six singles matches for an overall 6-1 victory over Weber State. This result positions them for a chance at the Big Sky Conference title in less than two weeks.
Looking ahead, Idaho will conclude its regular season on Sunday, April 19 at Northern Arizona University.
