MOSCOW, Idaho - There is no success in sports that is given. It is all earned.
Everything that Idaho men's tennis accomplished this season, every hard-fought victory, every won point, was earned due to the work that the team put in year-round to get where they are.
Last year, the Vandals missed out on the postseason. That would not happen again this year. In the second season under head coach Raleigh Grossbaum, Idaho put in the hours to not only earn a spot in the Big Sky's annual championships, but a top-four seed for the first time since the back-to-back title-winning teams of 2022 and 2023.
On top of that, they proved they belonged with the best by defeating Weber State in the first round to face off with top-ranked Northern Arizona.
Unfortunately, the season came to an end on Friday, as the Lumberjacks performed as advertised, fresh off a bye in the opening round of the bracket. Idaho put up a valiant effort, but ultimately fell in the two finished doubles points, giving NAU early momentum from the jump.
Francisco Gay was undeterred by the pressure, however, as the senior leader and staple at the #1 singles spot took on the Big Sky's 2025 MVP, Dani Torres, and played one of his finest performances of the year. Gay was cold in the pressure of the first-set tiebreaker and swiftly took home the second, winning 7-5, 6-2.
However, the Lumberjacks turned up the heat in the other three finished singles matches, winning each of them to clinch the match and move on to the title game to face Montana.
DOUBLES COMPETITION
1. Piotr Galus and Dani Torres (NAU) def. Francisco GAY and Yu-Shun LAI (UI), 6-2
2. Jakub Prachar and Jakub Volesky (NAU) vs.Chetanna AMADIKE and Sebastian MEDICA (UI) match was unfinished, 3-4
3. Semen Agynskyy and Takumi Katsuda (NAU) def. Noe DE COL and Gabriel MORODER (UI) 6-1
SINGLES COMPETITION
1. Francisco GAY (UI) def. Dani Torres (NAU) 7-5, 6-2
2. Piotr Galus (NAU) def. Chetanna AMADIKE (UI) 6-2, 5-7, 6-2
3. Semen Agynskyy (NAU) vs. Sebastian MEDICA (UI) match was unfinished 6-2, 3-6, 4-2
4. Jakub Volesky (NAU) def. Gabriel MORODER (UI) 6-1, 6-1
5. Takumi Katsuda (NAU) vs. Yu-Shun LAI (UI) match was unfinished 6-4, 3-6, 3-0
6. Mateusz Lange (NAU) def. Eric WANG (UI) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
MATCH NOTES
Order of finish: Singles -- 4, 1, 2, 6 ; Doubles -- 1, 3
With the loss, the 2024-25 season has concluded for Idaho men's tennis. The Vandals will work to finish out the semester strong academically, while keeping their training rolling in order to pursue the next step, winning a Big Sky Championship in 2026.
