BILLINGS, Mont- The Montana State University Billings Men's Tennis team hosted Division I Montana State University Bozeman Wednesday, Feb. 12th at the MSUB Tennis Bubble.  The Bobcats defeated the Yellowjackets 7-0.

The Yellowjackets have historically scheduled Division I opponents early in the season in preparation for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. 

MSU-Billings fought hard in their first match of the year, but the Bobcats proved too much to overcome.

The match began with doubles play  using Div. I rules.  The team who won the majority of the doubles points (two out of three) would receive the one point awarded.  Christian Fischer and Josh Hedderig would play number one doubles, Kavindu Gamage and Bradon Breadsly made up the number two doubles team and Eric De Romas with partner Daniil Gorkov making up the number three doubles team for the Yellowjackets.

Number two doubles and number three doubles ended with the same result, as the Bobcats won both matches 8-4.  The two victories clinched the doubles point for the Bobcats, but the remaining number one team of Fischer and Hedderig continued to fight. 

Fischer and Hedderig traded games back and forth with the Bobcat number one team, pushing the match into a tie breaker.  The tie breaker was played to 10 points in a win by two fashion.  Once on the tie breaker, Fischer and Hedderig took control and over powered the Bobcats Diego Campos and Markus Scheuter to win the tie break 10-2 and secure the match. 

The Bobcats proved too much for MSUB in singles play as they swept all six matches.  But many of the yellowjackets put up a fight highlighted by De Romas who played number four singles who played very well in a 6-4, 6-3 loss.  Gamage also played very well against MSU-Bozeman's Harry James.  James won 6-4,6-2. 

"We knew facing MSU would be a tough season opener, head coach Lew Kosich said.  "They are a strong D1 team with four matches under their belts. Christian Fischer and Josh Hedderig had a great tiebreak win at #1 doubles. The rest of the matches were competitive, but the Bobcats had the edge. This was as challenging a match as we will face all year. It showed us that we can compete well in the RMAC."

1. Niklas Brandes (MSU) def. C. Fischer (MSUB) 6-4, 5-1 default
2. Javier Martin Morillas (MSU) def. B. Beardsley (MSUB) 6-3, 6-1
3. Markus Schleuter (MSU) def. J. Hedderig (MSUB) 6-0, 6-1
4. Diego Campos (MSU) def. E. DaRamos (MSUB) 6-4, 6-3
5. Harry James (MSU) def. K. Gammage (MSUB) 6-2, 6-4
6. Kenny Dodd (MSU) def. D. Gorkov (MSUB) 6-0, 6-3

DOUBLES
1. Fischer/Hedderig (MSUB) def. Campos/Schleuter (MSU) 9-8
2. James/Brandes (MSU) def. Gammage/Beardsley (MSUB) 8-4
3. Dodd/MartinMorillas (MSU) def. DaRamos/Gorkov (MSUB) 8-4