TUCSON, Ariz. – The Northern Arizona men's tennis team closed out their first weekend of play this season in Tucson against Utah State. Kester Black won the Lumberjacks' first match of the season but it wasn't enough as NAU fell to the 73^rd best team in the country 6-1 to drop to 0-2 this season.

Playing on court three, Black had to come from behind to take his first victory of the season after dropping the first set 6-1 to Utah State's Marcus Fritz. Black battled back in the second set defeating Fritz 6-4 forcing a third set. In the tiebreaking set, the senior from Scotland defeated Fritz 10-8 picking up his first win of the season.

Eden Peleg made his season debut at the No. 1 position and was able to compete against the Aggie's Jack Swindells. Peleg came close to taking the first set with four points but dropped the first set and would eventually fall in the second set 6-2.

Utah State took the doubles point with wins on courts one and three. NAU was ahead on court two as Alexandre Locci and Jordan Gobatie were up 5-4 against the Aggie's Matt Sweet and Swindells but the match was stopped as Utah State had already clinched the doubles point.

NAU will be back in action next Friday, Feb. 13, when they travel back to Tucson for another neutral site matchup against Nevada. Then the Lumberjacks will travel to Las Cruces, N.M. for a matchup against New Mexico State on Feb. 14.

Results

Doubles

1. Marcus Fritz/Dennis Baumgartner (US) def. Adi Zilberstein/Kester Black (NAU) 6-0
2. Alexandre Locci/Jordan Gobatie (NAU) vs. Matt Sweet/Jack Swindells (US) 5-4 DNF
3. Karan Salwan/Sebastian Schneider (US) def. Felix Schumann/Eden Peleg (NAU) 6-3

Order of Finish: 1, 3

Singles

1. Jack Swindells (US) def. Eden Peleg (NAU) 6-4, 6-2
2. Dennis Baumgartner (US) def. Jordan Gobatie (NAU) 6-1, 6-3
3. Kester Black (NAU) def. Marcus Fritz (US) 1-6, 6-4, 10-8
4. Karan Salwan (US) vs. Alexandre Locci (NAU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Jaime Barajas (UofA) def. Felix Schumann (NAU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Sebastian Schneider (US) def. Adi Zilberstein (NAU) 6-0, 6-3
7. Matt Sweet (US) def. Tomas Hons (NAU)

Order of Finish: 4, 5, 6, 2, 1