ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  – In their first showing of the spring season, the Northern Arizona University women's tennis team split on the road with a 4-3 win over Southern Illinois University and a loss to No. 63 University of New Mexico 4-0. Head Coach Kim Bruno was pleased with the results she saw as NAU moves to 1-1 on the year.

"We came out and fought really hard today," Bruno said. We were down in doubles against SIU and came back and won it. Southern Illinois is a good team, but we hung tough and stuck with our game plan. Every one of our players believed in themselves and kept competing."

The Lumberjacks certainly started off the 2016 campaign on a high note, taking care of business against Southern Illinois in a closely contested dual. Number one doubles team Blanka Szavay and Hanneke Lodewijks earned their first doubles victory over SIU's Xiwei Cai and Ana Sofia Cordero 6-4. Northern Arizona then turned to Hailey Rochin and Marta Lewandowska to come through with another doubles victory to seal what would be a crucial first point for the 'Jacks.  The two took the challenge head on and defeated Meagan Monaghan and Vitoria Beirao 7-5.

NAU later dropped its first three matches in singles play to the Salukis, but Lodewijks, Lewandowska and Jordan Denesik rounded out the afternoon with gutsy wins of their own to secure the 4-3 finish. Lodewijks took down Cai in straight sets 7-5, 6-3, while Lewandowska and Denesik both dropped the second set only to bounce back in the third. This resiliency shown by Bruno's squad would not diminish in facing a nationally ranked New Mexico team to conclude the season-opening weekend.

Doubles pair Szavay/Lodewijks remain undefeated for NAU in 2016 after knocking off New Mexico's Emily Olivier and Ludivine Burguiere7-5. As a team, the No. 63 Lobos move to 3-0 this year after previously beating the University of Colorado and Southern Illinois.

"We were right there in doubles against UNM; it came down to the end," Bruno said. "They got on top of us a little too quickly in certain matches and we couldn't afford that. I also asked a lot out of the girls physically. Two matches in a row are tough after a hard-fought win less than an hour before that, but there was definitely growth today."

Results (Southern Illinois)

Doubles

1. Blanka Szavay/Hanneke Lodewijks (NAU) def. Xiwei Cai/Ana Sofia Cordero (SIU) 6-4
2. Hailey Rochin/Marta Lewandowska (NAH) def. Meagan Monaghan/Vitoria Beirao (SIU) 7-5
3. Athena Chrysanthou/Yana Golovkina (SIU) def. Jordan Denesik/ Emelia Box (NAU) 6-2

Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2

Singles

1. Hanneke Lodewijks (NAU) def. Xiwei Cai (SIU) 7-5, 6-3
2. Athena Chrysanthou (SIU) def. Blanka Szavay (NAU) 7-5, 6-3
3. Marta Lewandowska (NAU) def. Meagan Monaghan (SIU) 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-2
4. Ana Sofia Cordero (SIU) def. Hailey Rochin (NAU) 7-6(2), 6-0
5. Jordan Denesik (NAU) def. Katie Fries (SIU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
6. Polina Dozortseva (SIU) def. Eirene Granville (NAU) 6-2, 6-3

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

Results (New Mexico)

Doubles

1. Blanka Szavay/Hanneke Lodewijks (NAU) def. Emily Olivier/Ludivine Burguiere (UNM) 7-5
2. Ruth Copas/Andre LeBlank (UNM) def. Hailey Rochin/Marta Lewandowska (NAU) 6-1
3. Sharon Coone/Rachana Bhat (UNM) def. Emelia Box/Jordan Denesik (NAU) 6-4

Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3

Singles

1. No. 85 Andrea LeBlanc (UNM) vs. Hanneke Lodewijks (NAU) 2-6, 5-3, unfinished
2. Emily Olivier (UNM) def. Blanka Szavay (NAU) 6-0, 6-2
3. Ruth Copas (UNM) vs. Marta Lewandowska (NAU) 4-6, 5-0, unfinished
4. Ludivine Burquiere (UNM) vs. Hailey Rochin (NAU) 7-6 (7-1), 3-1, unfinished
5. Sharon Coone (UNM) def. Jordan Denesik (NAU) 6-4, 6-3
6. Rachana Bhat (UNM) def. Emelia Box (NAU) 6-1, 6-0

Order of Finish: 6, 2, 5