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(CSTV U-WIRE) SAN ANTONIO -- When the Bobcats traveled to San Antonio for the tennis championship this weekend, they didn't expect to be thrown into a mock-up of a reality TV show.
Texas State could not catch a break Friday, unable to overcome player protest and a miscounted score en route to a first-round exit at the Southland Conference Tournament. The Bobcats bowed out 4-3 against Lamar, a team they lost to 5-2 earlier this year.
"We were at Survival Island and at the tribal council I did not have any alliances," coach Tory Plunkett said. "The Lamar coach had already spoken to three other coaches who had a vote, and I was voted out."
An hour before the coaches meeting the day before the tournament, Plunkett received a call from Lamar's coach, saying he would protest the team if junior Ali Gulida played Saturday's match at the No. 5 spot. Gulida played most of the year ranked No. 6 for Texas State but was slated to play at five for the match. Plunkett refused and subsequently lost the protest; Gulida was replaced at No. 5 by junior Sumarie Muller, the No. 6 seed. Because Lamar only had five players, the Southland Conference's Newcomer of the Year, Gulida, was forced to sit out.
"To be honest, I thought it was a no-brainer (that we would win the protest)," Plunkett said. "Number one, (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) rules state you should play in order of ability; Ali was 8-0 and Su was 4-5."
Gulida played at No. 5 in the regular season match against Lamar and won 6-2, 6-1, but Lamar made no protest after its win. Gulida moved back to No. 6 a match later against Nicholls State.
Plunkett said she did this because she wanted to build Muller's confidence back up and give her another chance to prove herself. After Muller lost and Gulida won, Plunkett determined the latter was better suited at the five spot.
"ITA rules say if you have two players of equal ability, you are allowed to move them one spot," Plunkett said. "So regardless if they're playing in order of ability, I am still able to move them one spot or what have you."
Plunkett said she felt she was a victim of a coaching alliance based on her past history with protest committees.
"I don't believe coaches should be on protest committees because even though Lamar and us didn't get a vote, we still have to play the other schools who are on the committee," Plunkett said. "I think the Southland Conference needed to step up and never allow the protest to happen, based on ITA rules."
As if the team match was scripted, the score was tied 3-3 and both clubs gathered around the court awaiting the conclusion of the one remaining match, Muller against Manami Kuroda. Muller won the first set easily at 6-2 and then dropped the second set 3-6.
"The second set, (Kuroda) came out and completely changed her game, coming up with high loopy balls and just running after everything," Muller said. "That threw me off and broke my rhythm completely. We had such long rallies and I think I just got too impatient."
Down 5-4, Muller was able to fight off numerous match points and tied the score 5-5. Then down 5-6, she trailed 40-0 for the point and again endured match points to get the score to deuce. But Kuroda won the next point and when Muller's shot clipped the top of the net and landed on her side, the match and the Bobcats' season ended.
