FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The Northern Arizona women's tennis team showed the type of resiliency it will take to win a conference championship on Saturday, rallying for a tough non-conference win, 4-3, against a quality Utah State team at Continental Country Club. Down the doubles point and having dropped the first set in four of six singles matches, junior Emelia Box's win at No. 3 singles sealed up the come-from-behind win for the Lumberjacks as they improved to 10-9 this season.

"I was super nervous but I knew that it was coming down to me so I wanted to just keep fighting, keep grinding it out," Box said. "We've had so many 4-3 losses and this will really bring up our confidence. It shows that what we're doing in practice is definitely working and last year we lost to them, so it feels really good."

The two teams split the first two doubles matches with Utah State winning at No. 3, 6-1, before Box and sophomore Hailey Rochin responded with a convincing 6-2 win at No. 2 leaving the doubles point up for grabs at No. 1. Senior Johanna Vang and sophomore Marta Lewandowska fought hard but the Aggies snagged a 7-5 win to steal the opening point of the match.

Facing a 1-0 deficit, the Lumberjacks took a little time to get going in singles play with only Vang and Rochin winning their first sets at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively. Rochin easily dispatched Utah State's Nini Guensler, 6-3, 6-2, to even the match score at 1-1 only for Utah State to retake the lead with a win at No. 6 singles.

Junior Jordan Denesik then evened the score once again, 2-2, with a three-set win at No. 4. She was the first of three Lumberjacks to answer back from her first set loss, earning a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, win. The 'Jacks then jumped in front 3-2 courtesy as Lewandowska followed Denesik's lead at No. 5, winning convincingly in the final two sets by a 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 score.

Following Lewandowska's win, the 'Jacks needed a win in the final two singles matches remaining to clinch the victory and avenge a 4-1 loss to the Aggies last year on the road. Vang, who was forced to a third set by Utah State's McKenzie Davis after winning the first, was deadlocked in a tight battle before eventually dropping the tiebreaker in a 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (2) defeat at the top spot. With the win, the Aggies tied the match and left the match in the hands of a winner-take-all at No. 3 with Box and Lexi Turley of the Aggies.

Box evened her match at one set apiece with a 6-4 second set win after falling behind with a 3-6 first set loss, and had all eyes on her in the deciding third set. After Turley brought the set to a 5-5 tie, Box dug deep and pulled out the final two sets setting off an ecstatic celebration by the Lumberjacks in victory.

"I know these girls have in them and we just need to believe and keep working the process," said head coach Kim Bruno. "Wins are going to come our way and we needed this match today because Utah State is a good team. To know that if we lose doubles, if we stick to the game plan in singles, we can beat anybody. These girls toughened up today, they got better today and that's what matters going into the championship. I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

Box, Denesik and Lewandowska all went the distance and won their matches in three sets after falling behind 1-0. That type of performance is what the Lumberjacks needed against a high caliber opponent with the Big Sky tournament just two weeks away.

"Today showed to me and the team to fight for every ball," Lewandowska said. "When you're down a set, you have to stick to the game plan and just fight. I wasn't the only one to lose a first set, but we all fought and it was a really good win for us. The team energy really helps a lot because we know we're all cheering for each other and it helps our confidence."

The Lumberjacks will play their final home match of the season on Sunday at Continental Country Club. NAU hosts Portland State at 10 a.m. before the NAU men take the court at approximately 1 p.m. for their match versus Weber State in a tennis doubleheader. The women's match will be Senior Day for the team's two seniors – Vang and Sarah Maria Spruch.

Results

Doubles

1. McKenzie Davis/Maggie O'Meara (USU) def. Johanna Vang/Marta Lewandowska (NAU) 7-5
2. Hailey Rochin/Emelia Box (NAU) def. Meghan Lyall/Kallie Sperry (USU) 6-2
3. Nini Guensler/Lexi Turley (USU) def. Sarah Maria Spruch/Livia Hollosy (NAU) 6-1

Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1

Singles

1. McKenzie Davis (USU) def. Johanna Vang (NAU) 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (2)
2. Hailey Rochin (NAU) def. Nini Guensler (USU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Emelia Box (NAU) def. Lexi Turley (USU) 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
4. Jordan Denesik (NAU) def. Kallie Sperry (USU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
5. Marta Lewandowska (NAU) def. Sabrina Demerath (USU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-0
6. Meghan Lyall (USU) def. Sara Brown (NAU) 6-3, 7-5

Order of Finish: 2, 6, 4, 5, 1, 3