The University of Idaho men’s tennis team closed out its regular season with a 7-0 loss to Northern Arizona in Moscow on Saturday, ending the year with an 8-17 record.
Northern Arizona, the regular-season Big Sky Conference champion, improved to 16-5 with the victory.
Injury-Depleted Roster Hampers Vandals
Idaho entered the match already dealing with four injured players, limiting the team’s depth against one of the conference’s strongest opponents. The situation worsened during doubles play when another Vandal sustained a shoulder injury, leaving the team with only five available players from its nine-man roster for singles competition.
The Vandals automatically forfeited the sixth singles position due to the shortage, putting them in an early 2-0 hole after Northern Arizona claimed the doubles point.
Vandals Show Fight Despite Lopsided Score
Despite the injury challenges and early deficit, two Idaho players battled their opponents deep into their matches. Freshman Valentine Glasl and sophomore Noe De Col both pushed their matches to third sets against the conference champions before falling short.
Northern Arizona swept all contested singles matches to complete the 7-0 shutout.
What Comes Next
The Vandals will remain in Arizona as they prepare for the Big Sky Conference tournament. Idaho is scheduled to face fourth-seeded Montana State in Phoenix on April 23 at 8 a.m., giving the team several days to recover and hopefully return injured players to the lineup before postseason play begins.
The Vandals will look to enter the conference tournament with a healthier roster after a physically demanding regular season that tested the team’s depth throughout the spring.