| Northern Arizona vs. UC Davis | at Arizona State |
| MATCH 1 |
Northern Arizona vs. UC Davis (Sunday, Jan. 20 | 11 a.m.) |
| MATCH 2 |
Northern Arizona at Arizona State (Monday, Jan. 21 | 11 a.m.) |
| LOCATION |
Whiteman Tennis Center | Tempe, Ariz. |
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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (January 18, 2019) – After opening the spring at the round-robin Metroplex Mania last weekend, the Northern Arizona women's tennis team will make their dual match debuts this weekend in Tempe. The Lumberjacks will take on UC Davis on Sunday and Arizona State on Monday with both matches to be played at ASU's Whiteman Tennis Center. Both matches will start at 11 a.m.
"We're looking forward to continuing the work we started last weekend," said head coach
Ewa Bogusz. "I'm excited to see our freshmen in their first dual competition of their careers."
The Lumberjacks collected four doubles and five singles wins last weekend in Dallas, competing against opponents from SMU, BYU, Iowa and Northwestern State. Both Arizona State and UC Davis will be playing their first spring matches this weekend.
Junior
Chiara Tomasetti played at the top spot in NAU's singles lineup, going 2-1. Freshmen
Emilie Haakansson matched Tomasetti's 2-1 singles record competing twice at No. 5 and once at No. 4. Sophomore
Ellie Millard posted the Lumberjacks' remaining singles win at No. 2 against Northwestern State.
As a team, NAU went 4-4 in doubles play with Tomasetti and Millard spearheading the Lumberjacks' efforts at the No. 1 position. Tomasetti and Millard notched wins against BYU and Iowa. Haakansson earned two doubles wins, winning once each with sophomore
Cora-Lynn von Dungern and sophomore
Madi Moore at No. 2.
Tomasetti was named the Big Sky's first Women's Tennis Player of the Week following her performance at the Metroplex Mania. Tomasetti, ranked No. 75 in the Oracle/ITA Division I Women's Rankings, is one of six returning Lumberjack starters – five of whom notched at least 13 singles wins a year ago.
In all, NAU has all four of its all-conference players – senior
Hanneke Lodewijks, Tomasetti, Moore and Millard – back from its squad that was 19-4 in dual matches last spring. NAU has won 10 consecutive regular season dual matches dating back to last March.
Sunday's matchup versus UC Davis will be the third between the two teams in the last five years, with all three taking place in Tempe. The Lumberjacks are 1-4 all-time against the Aggies and have dropped four straight since claiming the first ever meeting in 2008.
UC Davis was 15-7 last season and tied for second in the Big West with a 6-2 conference record. The Aggies return three of their five players who earned All-Big West honors last season. Kristina Breisacher is UC Davis' top returner as she posted a 9-11 record primarily at No. 2 singles last season. Breisacher was a second team singles all-conference pick last spring.
Nikita Pradeep was an All-Big West Honorable Mention singles selection after going 15-1 in dual matches, while Kelsie Bryant earned All-Big West Second Team doubles honors.
NAU will then take on Arizona State on Monday, marking the ninth straight year that the in-state rivals square off on the court. The 'Jacks have not defeated the Sun Devils in 21 previous meetings, including a 7-0 loss in last season's spring opener.
Arizona State is coming off a 31st straight NCAA Tournament appearance after finishing third in the Pac-12 with a 16-8 overall mark and 7-3 mark in conference. The All-American doubles tandem of Lauryn John-Baptiste and Ilze Hattingh headline the Sun Devils after advancing to the NCAA quarterfinals last spring.
John-Baptiste and Hattingh were 16-1 last season and are currently ranked No. 8 in the nation. Arizona State also has a nationally-ranked singles player in Cali Jankowski, who comes in at No. 84.
