FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (March 6, 2020) – The Northern Arizona women's tennis team continues their five-match homestand on Sunday versus Pacific at 10 a.m. The first meeting between the two teams in seven years will be take place in the Aquatic and Tennis Complex with free admission for all fans.
The Lumberjacks carry a three-match winning streak and a 4-3 record into Sunday after opening their homestand with a pair of victories last week. NAU made quick work of Montana, 7-0, last Thursday in its home opener and then pulled out a tough 4-2 victory over New Mexico two days later.
"The biggest thing that stood out last week was that we were competing throughout the whole match," said head coach
Ewa Bogusz. "That gives the team a lot of confidence going forward. This point of the season, confidence is important. With the work they're putting in, that's going to pay off for us."
NAU's doubles have gotten the Lumberjacks off to the early advantage in six of eight matches, including in each of their four victories. Last week, sophomore
Adrianna Sosnowska and freshman
Mimi Bland clinched the doubles point for NAU versus both Montana and New Mexico with doubles tied up at one win apiece.
Sosnowska and Bland claimed both of their matches in a tiebreaker, which pushed their team-best doubles record to 5-2. NAU's No. 1 doubles pair has won its last four matches. Meanwhile, sophomore
Emilie Haakansson and freshman
Elinor Beazley have won their last three matches at No. 3 to improve to 4-3.
The Lumberjacks received a boost with the return of Bland to their singles lineup last week. Bland played consecutive singles matches for the first time this spring and won both of her matches at No. 5, increasing her win streak to three matches.
Bland, along with junior
Ellie Millard and Haakansson and the No. 3 and 4 spots respectively, have also won three consecutive matches.
Senior
Chiara Tomasetti, ranked No. 45 nationally in this week's Oracle ITA Division I rankings, remains undefeated at 8-0 atop NAU's lineup. Haakansson's 6-2 singles record is second on the team with Sosnowska third with a 4-4 record at No. 2.
NAU squares off with Pacific for the first time since 2013, when the 'Jacks picked up their first all-time win versus the Tigers, 4-2, on a neutral court in Albuquerque, N.M. The Lumberjacks are 1-5 all-time versus the Tigers, who were picked seventh in the preseason West Coast Conference Poll.
"Pacific is a very good team and we're expecting tough competition," Bogusz said. "The players love challenges and we can't wait to host them at home."
Pacific has already matched its win total from last season with an impressive 4-1 dual record this spring. The Tigers, who will play at Arizona on Friday before making the drive north to Flagstaff, is coming off a commanding 6-1 win over Sacramento State last Sunday.
The Tigers are led by Klara Kosan, who is ranked No. 69 nationally in singles, setting up a matchup of nationally-ranked players at No. 1 singles between Tomasetti and Kosan. Kosan is a perfect 5-0 in dual matches this spring.
