VANCOUVER, Wash. – The Northern Arizona University women's tennis team captured their second Big Sky win of the season over Portland State University this afternoon, Feb. 14. With a final score of 5-2, NAU snapped the Vikings' undefeated home stand and advance to 4-4 this season, 2-1 in conference play. Head Coach Kim Bruno's team definitely showed what they were made of after dropping the doubles point and trailing the Vikings 2-0 early on.

"There's no question that we played to win and out fought them in singles," Bruno commented. "We had to dig deep after losing the doubles point and the team did that. It's hard to win on the road but we found a way, and Eirene [Granville] played tough for us on court six to clinch the match."

The all-time series record heading into today's match was 15-1 in Northern Arizona's favor. Although the Lumberjacks added another tally to the win column, it certainly did not come easy against a hot Portland State team who has won its last two matches at home.

After dropping the doubles point and eventually trailing Portland State 2-0, Northern Arizona had no choice but to gut it out on the singles end.  Freshman Hanneke Lodewijks was able to get things going for NAU after she rattled off a victory in straight sets against PSU's Dane Vorster 6-1, 6-4. Lumberjacks Blanka Szavay, Marta Lewandowska, Jordan Denesik and Granville also chipped in wins on the singles side.

Szavay beat Siena Peri, who is the all-time wins leader at No. 2 singles for Portland State, in a closely contested 7-5, 7-6(5) finish. Lewandowska's win was no cake walk either, as she dropped her first set but eventually walked away victorious against Tracy Dong (a 2015 All-Big Sky Second Team selection) with a final score of 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5). Lewandowska has only dropped one match so far this season on court three and holds the best record for NAU in singles play at 5-1.

Denesik is not far behind Lewandowska as the senior is now 4-3 this season after taking down Portland State's Kelsey Frey 1-6, 7-5, 6-0 at No. 5 singles. Granville, in her first season for NAU, just recently made her way into the starting lineup and has shined thus far. She snagged her first career win against Taylor Rees, clinching the match for the Lumberjacks on court six.

Northern Arizona will be off this weekend (Feb. 19-21) before facing New Mexico State, University of Texas, El Paso and University of Wyoming the weekend of Feb. 26.

Results

Doubles

1. Blanka Szavay/Hanneke Lodewijks (NAU) vs. Siena Peri/Tracy Dong (PSU) unfinished
2. Dane Vorster/Taylor Rees (PSU) def. Hailey Rochin/Marta Lewandowska (NAU) 6-4
3. Alana Chaplin/Ashley Knecht (PSU) def. Sara Brown/Jordan Denesik (NAU) 6-3

Order of Finish: 3, 2

Singles

1. Hanneke Lodewijks (NAU) def. Dane Vorster (PSU) 6-1, 6-4
2. Blanka Szavay (NAU) def. Siena Peri (PSU) 7-5, 7-6(5)
3. Marta Lewandowska (NAU) def. Tracy Dong (PSU) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5)
4. Sabina-Elena Preda (PSU) def. Hailey Rochin (NAU) 6-4, 6-1
5. Jordan Denesik (NAU) def. Kelsey Frey (PSU) 1-6, 7-5, 6-0
6. Eirene Granville (NAU) def. Taylor Rees (PSU) 6-2, 6-3

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

*Clinched the match