Tennis teams swing into action

In terms of personality, men and women are sometimes considered polar opposites. This view can be similarly applied to the University of Montana tennis teams.

On one hand, the men have a relatively set lineup with senior Carl Kuschke leading the team at No. 1 singles. Meanwhile, the women's team is less permanent in terms of lineup positions. However, both teams have something in common: they both have their season opener on the road this Friday in Idaho, with the men's team travelling to Pocatello to take on the Idaho State Bengals and the women's team taking on Lewis-Clark State in Lewiston.

Kris Nord enters his 26th season as head coach for the men. Nord says this men's team is talented but really depends on how well seniors Kuschke and Ben DeMarois lead. Nord is confident that the two will be able to lead the team to success.

Kuschke, a four-time Big Sky Conference Player of the Week, dealt with an ankle injury and knee tendonitis last fall, but says he's "100 percent" and ready to go after working diligently with the trainer in the offseason. This will be Kuschke's last season playing for the Griz and he has high expectations for both himself and his team.

"My goals individually are the same as the team's goals and Kris' goals, and that's to win a Big Sky Championship. I think we have a really good chance this year," Kuschke said.

As the men prepare for their first meet of the season, there are still some big questions to be answered. The team has a solid singles lineup, with the one-two punch of Kuschke at No. 1 and sophomore Mikolaj Caruk at No. 2.

However, the team still needs to secure its doubles lineup. Junior Michael Facey and sophomore Ethan Vaughn, who worked well together in the fall season, will start at No. 1 doubles, but questions still remain as to what doubles tandems will play for Montana behind Vaughn and Facey.

"I'm concerned about the other doubles teams. I think that's probably my first focus, finding a way to win the doubles point," said Nord.

The men face an Idaho State team that has already played two matches, the first of which was a dominating 6–1 win over Utah State in Pocatello.

"My hope is that we play well as a team and pull out a win there, but there's no given. They're the most improved team in the conference," Nord said.

The men were ranked second behind Sacramento State in the Big Sky Conference preseason poll with 53 votes. On Jan. 28 the men will face the Utah Utes in Salt Lake City.

The Montana women's team, on the other hand, doesn't necessarily have a set lineup going into the first match at Lewis-Clark State. Steve Ascher, entering his fourth year as head coach, is focusing more on the team as a whole rather than worrying about individual spots.

"From the day these players start playing tennis, tennis is a hierarchal sport. But the reality is we need to focus on everybody winning and competing well. My focus isn't so much on that hierarchal system, but that everybody's contributing," Ascher said.

Ascher also said that the fall season was the best fall he's seen from the women's team since he started as head coach for Montana. The team will use the fall experience to fuel the start of the spring season.

"We've had a couple of really good weeks of practice," Asher said.

"I feel like the preparation is there, which is great early on. We're just looking forward to getting on the court and putting everything we've been working hard on in practice into play."

After playing Lewis-Clark State Jan. 27, the women will face Washington State Jan. 28 and Idaho Jan. 29. The second and third matches will be in Pullman, Wash.

austin.schempp@umontana.edu