LEWISTON, Idaho—The Idaho Vandals did something on Friday no other Big Sky team has been able to do. Beat Weber State. The Vandals handed the Wildcats their first loss of the conference season with a 5-2 victory.

Idaho (14-5, 8-2) started fast, taking the first two doubles courts. Mark Kovacs and Lucas Coutinho posted a 6-4 victory over Landon Barlow and Hou-En Chen to begin the afternoon. Odon Barta and Felipe Fonseca clinched the doubles point with a 7-5 win in No. 2 doubles.

“I was very proud of how we competed today,” head coach Abid Akbar commented. “Weber State is a very strong team. It is always nice to go out and get the doubles point. With teams that are even that is where the difference comes from. Then in singles we played smart and fast and were able to get the job done.” 

The Vandals clinched the match in relative ease. Idaho won the first three singles matches to gain the 4-0 advantage. Kovacs defeated Chen, 6-3, 6-1, to get things started for Idaho on the No. 4 court. Fonseca dispatched Jakub Gewer, 6-2, 6-3. Barta finished off Weber State with a come from behind win. He fell behind 5-7 to Todd Fought in No. 2 singles before ripping off wins of 6-3, 6-4 to take the point.

Weber State (10-7, 8-1 BSC) got on the board with a 7-6, 6-7, 10-4 win from Stefan Cooper in No. 3 play. Artem Vashshnikov handed Landon Barlow ah 6-4, 6-4 loss on the No. 5 court. The Wildcats took the final point of the day with a 6-4, 6-3 verdict on the No. 6 court.

The Silver and Gold conclude the regular season with a pair of matches against in-state rivals. Idaho will be at Boise State on Saturday, April 23, followed by Idaho State on the 24th. The defending Big Sky champions will then head to the Big Sky Tournament in Sacramento, Calif., April 29-May 1.  

Singles competition

1. Fonseca, Felipe (UI) def. GEWERT, Jakub (WSU) 6-2, 6-3

2. Barta, Odon (UI) def. FOUGHT, Todd (WSU) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4

3. COOPER, Stefan (WSU) def. Varney, Jackson (UI) 7-6, 6-7, 10-4

4. Kovacs, Mark (UI) def. CHEN, Hou-En (WSU) 6-3, 6-1

5. Vasheshnikov, Artem (UI) def. BARLOW, Landon (WSU) 6-4, 6-4

6. GOSWAMI, Sanjay (WSU) def. Coutinho, Lucas (UI) 6-4, 6-3

Doubles competition

1. COOPER, Stefan/GOSWAMI, Sanjay (WSU) def. Vasheshnikov, Artem/Varney, Jackson (UI) 7-6 (7-5)

2. Barta, Odon/Fonseca, Felipe (UI) def. FOUGHT, Todd/GEWERT, Jakub (WSU) 7-5

3. Kovacs, Mark/Coutinho, Lucas (UI) def. CHEN, Hou-En/BARLOW, Landon (WSU) 6-4

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (4,1,2,3,5,6)