The Big Sky men’s tennis championship is increasingly becoming a two horse race. That will happen when two teams win the last eight conference titles. That is exactly what Sacramento State (1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003) and Montana State (2000, 2004, 2005) have done.

So far this season it has been a struggle to find consistency for the Hornets (9-6, 5-1). That and the fact that last year’s 4-0 loss to the Bobcats (9-9, 3-0) in the championship match is still fresh in the players’ minds.

“This one has been circled on our calendar ever since then,” senior Thomas Morton said. Morton isn’t alone.

“I think about it every day,” Warwick Foy said of the championship loss. “It’s still so fresh in my mind.”

The consensus around the team is that after this year it will be nine for nine for these teams taking home the hardware.

The only question is which team will take it. Prior to Saturday’s meeting Sac State (4-0) and Montana State (2-0) were the only Big Sky teams undefeated in conference.

Despite the fact that the Bobcats have owned the conference two years in a row, the Hornets are bent on taking it back in 2006.

“This is our biggest rivalry,” assistant coach Jonathan Labella said. “This year we hope that we end their hold (of the conference).”

On Saturday the Hornets were destroyed in the match of championship hopefuls 7-0. Only the doubles tandem of Junaid Hossain and Gabriel Loredo was able to save the Hornets from an all-out sweep. It was a disappointment for sure, but it likely only fueled the fire of the Hornets.

If given the chance to win the tournament the Hornets would take it in a heartbeat. But when asked who they would like to beat to take the trophy home:

“It would make it so much sweeter if we could beat Montana State for the title,” Foy said. “It would mean more to beat (Montana State) and take the title,” Labella said.

“I want to beat (Montana State) for the title,” Thomas Morton said.

Sac State will have their shot at revenge in the conference tournament. Until then, they will just have to mark their calendars again for the next chance at taking what they feel is rightfully theirs.

Benn Hodapp can be reached at [email protected]