Bobcats Upset Drake – Montana State University Athletics

For the second consecutive match it came down to a Montana State freshman, and for the second straight contest that freshman was Angel Bean. Bean, a product of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, recorded a come-from-behind 6-4, 7-6(9) win over Drake’s Rebecca Ehn at No. 4 singles to clinch a 4-3 victory for the Bobcats on Saturday night.
 
“Drake is a very good, tough program,” said MSU head coach Suzie Woodburn. “But we played and competed at our best. We were fearless, brave and went for our shots. Every position gave their best and it took the entire team.”
 
Montana State (5-1) earned the first point of the match capturing the doubles point. MSU opened with a 6-2 win at No. 3, before dropping a 7-6(2) decision at the top spot. The point was decided at No. 2 as Bean and Jazmin Lerman rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the tiebreaker to post a 9-7 decision over Ehn and Ines Stephani.
 
“Again, the doubles point was huge,” Woodburn said. “I’m so proud of the way we trusted ourselves, and it gave us good momentum as we entered singles play.”
 
Bobcat senior Felicia Jayasaputra opened singles action with a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 6 over Nicole Lee. Drake answered with victories at Nos. 2 and 5 to even the match at 2-2. MSU freshman Meg McCarty put the Bobcats back in the lead with a win at No. 3, before Stephani evened the contest at 3-3 with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 decision over Marta Garcia-Reboredo at the top spot to set up Bean’s heroics.
 
Bean opened with a 6-4 first set win, but Ehn fought back in the second to force a tiebreak. Bean fought off two set points in the tiebreaker, rallying for an 11-9 win.
 
MSU’s 5-1 start to the season is the best since 1995 when the Bobcats opened 7-1.
 
Montana State plays at Portland on Feb. 16.
 
Results:
 
Montana State 4, Drake 3
 
Singles:

1. Ines Stephani (DU) d. Marta Garcia-Reboredo, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
2. Mille Haagensen (DU) d. Paula Dougherty, 6-4, 6-2
3. Meg McCarty (MSU) d. Elizabete Klavinska by retirement 4-6, 6-3
4. Angel Bean (MSU) d. Rebecca Ehn, 6-4, 7-6(9)
5. Darinka Stepan (DU) d. Andrea Cuquerella, 6-3, 6-2
6. Felicia Jayasaputra (MSU) d. Nicole Lee, 6-1, 6-1

 
Doubles:

1. Haagensen/Stepan (DU) d. Garcia-Reboredo/Hudson Hawkins, 7-6(2)
2. Bean/Jazmin Lerman (MSU) d. Ehn/Stephani, 7-6(7)
3. McCarty/Cuquerella (MSU) d. Klavinska/Lee, 6-2