FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Coming off a 7-0 sweep over Southern Utah, the Northern Arizona University men's tennis team hopes to keep its five-match win streak alive over in-state foe Grand Canyon University. On Saturday, April 16, NAU will make the trek to Phoenix to face the 12-7 Lopes. Following the Lumberjacks' win over the Thunderbirds last weekend, Head Coach Ki Kroll and his young crew jumped out to a winning record at 11-10 including a 7-3 mark in the Big Sky.

Highlight Reel

• The 'Jacks handed Sacramento State their first conference loss of the season on April 2.
• Two freshmen in Tim Handel and Lucas Taylor each picked up their first career Big Sky Player of the Week honors in 2016.
• Eden Peleg and Taylor, paired together at No. 1 doubles, went 5-1 this season.
• Taylor holds a team-best 13-7 record (fifth in the Big Sky) at No. 2 singles while Handel is 12-8 on court one.
• Freshman Thomas Fisher picked up his first two career wins over Idaho and Eastern Washington on March 5 and March 6.
• Felix Schumann and Jackson Lee lead the 'Jacks in the win column in doubles play. The duo is 9-4 at No. 3 doubles (eighth in the Big Sky) and 5-3 against conference opponents.
• Taylor posted one of his best weekends at the University of Arizona. He helped NAU secure the doubles point (alongside Schumann) and also took down Harry Busby in straight sets to tie up the match 2-2.
• Handel and Ruben Montano picked up their first doubles win of the year against Utah's Egbert Weverink and Santiago Sierra 7-6(7) on Jan. 30. They went 4-7 this season on court one.

The Scout

Grand Canyon

Match day: Saturday, April 16

Match time: 1 p.m.

Match location: Phoenix, Ariz.

Despite coming off a 4-3 loss over Western Atlantic Conference foe University of Kansas City, Missouri, the Lopes have already earned a share of the 2016 WAC regular season title. They have won four of their last five matches, garnering a 12-7 overall record.

Grand Canyon has five players with double-digit wins in singles action including Meidy Chazeau who has won his last seven matches (10-5), Justin Cvitanovic who has won his last four (10-1), Mathieu Rajaonah who has won his last 11 (16-2), Alexander Roggenkamp (11-8) and Felix Schueller (11-8).

Mitch Maroscher is playing No. 1 singles where he is 8-10, while Schueller and Roggenkamp are on courts two and three respectively. On the doubles end, Roggencamp and Schueller are at line one where they are 9-7 overall. On court two, Adrian Legarreta and Maroscher are 4-4 this season.

On Deck

With a Portland State loss this weekend, the Lumberjacks will clinch a spot in the conference tournament, which will take place May 29-April 1 at Sacramento State. Following Southern Utah, NAU will round out its conference slate against Montana State in the Aquatic and Tennis Complex in their final homestand of the 2016 campaign.

Fall Rewind

This fall, NAU competed in a total of five tournaments at the University of Arizona, University of New Mexico, ITA Mountain Regionals in Albuquerque, N.M., University of Nevada, Las Vegas and concluded the fall season at Grand Canyon University.

Eight Lumberjacks saw preseason action as Handel led the way with a winning record in singles play and a 6-5 finish in doubles alongside Schumann. At the UNM Balloon Fiesta Invitational, Peleg and Taylor claimed the consolation crown after winning three straight matches. Among the biggest of highlights was Handel's performance at ITA Regionals, taking down the No. 9 seed to advance to the Round of 16.