FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (March 17, 2021) – The luck of the Irish was on the NAU Men Tennis' side today. The Lumberjacks earned their first season 4-3 win, as well as their first Big Sky Conference victory over opponent, Sacramento State, this afternoon.
Northern Arizona had a comeback from behind win in Sacramento, Calif., today. Initially, doubles pairing of Maciej Ziomber and Daniel Dillon won No. 3 over Jan Silva and Rudolf Aksenoks, 6-3.
"I am very proud of the way the team is trusting the process. We have played a very tough schedule until this point with four top teams in the country," head coach Maciej Bogusz said. "I know that the guys were so anxious to get the first win and it couldn't come at the better moment."
Sacramento tied the doubles courts up when the Hornets' Hormont Legaspi and Michael Vizcarra outscored NAU's Chris Steele and Dominik Buzonics, 6-4. Ultimately, SAC would take the early point winning on the final court, 7-6, against Facundo Tumosa and Alex Groves.
As the Hornets took the doubles point, the Lumberjacks headed into singles down 1-0.
Sac State would quickly continue its lead after Jan Silva finished 6-0 and 6-1 over Northern Arizona's Marcus Sulen.
The pace of the game would change as the 'Jacks earned their first singles court win with Dominick Buzonics' sets of 6-4 and 6-0.
Sacramento State would again score another point with Mark Keki's 7-5 and 6-3 victory over Tumosa.
With the Lumberjacks being down 3-1, NAU went on a three court winning stretch to win its first match of the season.
"Even down 1-3 in the match, the guys were tough and resilient and you could feel that the momentum was turning our way," Bogusz said.
The trend began with a 6-4 and 6-0 win from Eban Straker-Meads over SAC's Hermont Legaspi. Ziomber would earn his third straight singles win 6-3 in both sets against Aksenoks.
To clinch the match 4-3 and secure the win, Chris Steele found his second singles win of the year. Falling in the first set 6-4, Steele came from behind to win the next two, 6-2 and 6-4.
"Congrats to Chris for clinching the win for us, the senior stepped it up big time," Bogusz said.
With the win, the Lumberjacks earn their first win of the 2021 spring season and first Big Sky conference victory. From here, Northern Arizona will look forward to a home match this upcoming Wednesday, March 24 against Seattle University at 10 a.m.
DOUBLES
- LILES, Liam / KEKI, Mark [SAC] def. TUMOSA, Facundo / GROVES, Alex [NAU], 7-6
- LEGASPI, Hermont / VIZCARRA, Michael [SAC] def. STEELE, Chris / BUZONICS, Dominik [NAU], 6-4
- ZIOMBER, Maciej / DILLON, Daniel [NAU] def. SILVA, Jan / AKSENOKS, Rudolfs [SAC], 6-3
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
SINGLES
- STRAKER-MEADS, Eban [NAU] def. LEGASPI, Hermont [SAC], 6-4, 6-0
- KEKI, Mark [SAC] def. TUMOSA, Facundo [NAU], 7-5, 6-3
- STEELE, Chris [NAU] def. VIZCARRA, Michael [SAC], 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
- BUZONICS, Dominik [NAU] def. LILES, Liam [SAC], 6-4, 6-0
- ZIOMBER, Maciej [NAU] def. AKSENOKS, Rudolfs [SAC], 6-3, 6-3
- SILVA, Jan [SAC] def. SULEN, Marcus [NAU], 6-0, 6-1
Order of Finish: 6, 4, 2, 1, 5, 3
