PHOENIX – Idaho men's tennis defeated Montana, 4-0, at the Phoenix Tennis Center on Thursday morning to move on to the Big Sky Championship Semifinals. 

The three-seeded Vandals, who will make its second consecutive trip to the semifinals, will face second-seeded Sacramento State on Friday at 8 a.m.

Freshman Taiyo Kurata posted his first match-clinching victory of his career to help move Idaho to 13-8 on the season. The Vandals also earned singles wins on courts one and six and clinched the doubles point to help knock Montana out of the Big Sky Tournament for the second straight year. 

After dropping the doubles point to the Grizzlies earlier in the regular season, the Vandals answered by earning wins on two out of three courts to take a 1-0 advantage. Partners Alex Asenov and Bruno Casino battled back from a 3-1 deficit to rally and win the next five games to earn a 6-3 decision over Montana's Gustav Theilgaard and Tom Brittner on court three. With the doubles point coming down to the outcome on court one, upperclassmen Francisco Bascon and Matteo Masala outlasted Fernando Perez and Guillermo Martin for another 6-3 finish. 

Bascon earned his 12th win out of his last 13 appearances on court one to begin singles play when he posted a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Theilgaard. 

Junior Mario Duron extended Idaho's lead to 3-0 when he beat Martin on court six 6-3, 6-4. 

Shortly after, Kurata stepped up to clinch the match with a come-from-behind 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 win on court four over Moritz Stoeger. 

Three matches went unfinished on courts two, three and five. Francisco Gay lost the first set 6-4 and won the second set 6-1 before the match was halted in the third frame tied, 2-2 at No. 2. Casino earned a win in his opening set against Bittner, garnering a 7-5 victory on court three. Casino led 4-1 in the second before the match went unfinished. Masala won his opening set 6-3 and fell in the second 6-4 against Montana's Wiger-Nordas at the No. 5 position. Masala trailed 3-0 in the third before the match was called. 
 
Up Next
The Vandals have a quick turnaround as they get set to face Sacramento State on Friday at 8 a.m. in the Big Sky Semifinals at the Phoenix Tennis Center. Fans can follow the match via live stats here.

If Idaho advances past the Hornets on Friday, the Vandals will have an 8 a.m. title match on Saturday against either top-seeded Northern Arizona or fifth-seeded Idaho State. 

Idaho 4, Montana 0 

Singles competition 
1. Francisco Bascon (IDAHO) def. THEILGAARD, Gustav (UM) 6-2, 6-2 
2. Francisco Gay (IDAHO) vs. PEREZ, Fernando (UM) 4-6, 6-1, 2-2, unfinished 
3. Bruno Casino (IDAHO) vs. BITTNER, Tom (UM) 7-5, 4-1, unfinished 
4. Taiyo Kurata (IDAHO) def. STOEGER, Moritz (UM) 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 
5. Matteo Masala (IDAHO) vs. WIGER-NORDAS, B. (UM) 6-3, 4-6, 0-3, unfinished 
6. Mario Duron (IDAHO) def. MARTIN, Guillermo (UM) 6-3, 6-4 

Doubles competition 
1. Francisco Bascon/Matteo Masala (IDAHO) def. PEREZ, Fernando/MARTIN, Guillermo (UM) 6-3 
2. STOEGER, Moritz/RUSSELL, George (UM) def. Francisco Gay/Taiyo Kurata (IDAHO) 6-2 
3. Bruno Casino/Alex Asenov (IDAHO) def. THEILGAARD, Gustav/BITTNER, Tom (UM) 6-3 

Match Notes: 
Montana 10-12 (2-5), Idaho 13-8 (5-2) 
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,6,4)

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