FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (March 27, 2021) – Northern Arizona men's tennis punched their ticket into the Big Sky Conference Championships after winning three straight league matches, including today's 6-1 victory over Weber State. The Lumberjacks have the best record in the South division – 3-0 over their opponents.
The South division is made up of four Big Sky Conference programs, including Northern Arizona, Weber State (0-1 Big Sky), Idaho State (0-1 Big Sky) and Sacramento State (0-2 Big Sky). The top two teams from both the North and South division earn an invite to the Big Sky Championships in Phoenix, Ariz., on May 1 and 2.
With today's win, the Lumberjacks improve to 3-0 in the Big Sky, 4-6 overall. Northern Arizona has been on a four-game winning streak in just the last 11 days since its first league win of 4-3 over Sacramento State on March 17. Since then, the 'Jacks have been close to sweeping three opponents, finishing 6-1 over Seattle University, Idaho State and Weber State, all this week.
"It feels amazing for the guys knowing that the work they put in behind the scenes and that all the pieces are coming together," head coach Maciej Bogusz said. "We focus a lot on ourselves. I'm happy to see the progress our guys are making."
Just 20 minutes into doubles, senior Chris Steele and freshman Dominik Buzonics earned a 6-1 set win on No. 2 doubles, emphasizing the hard work and effort of the Lumberjacks' finish over Weber.
Steele and Buzonics did not allow a single point for WSU until game six. Being up 5-1 over the Wildcats, the pair won their next game and the match, 6-1, obtaining the first doubles court victory for the Lumberjacks.
With the first doubles match won on No. 2, the Lumberjacks had an advantage to clinch the doubles point, needing only one more court to win their match.
Northern Arizona found its second doubles win on court No. 3 from freshman Maciej Ziomber and junior Daniel Dillon. The duo only allowed a deuce scored by their opponents, Michiel Van Schoor and Brendan Barr, to achieve a 6-2 set.
Moving onto singles, the Lumberjacks held the early 1-0 lead after clinching the two wins in doubles.
Eban Straker-Meads' opponent, after being down 30-0 in the first game, forfeited the rest of the match. With the foe's retirement, Straker-Meads moved the Lumberjacks up 2-0 just moments into the singles matches.
However, even with the forfeit, Northern Arizona put up four more wins on its courts to come out 6-1 over Weber State.
Buzonics would be the first Lumberjack to secure a singles win. In a heated, back and forth match between Weber State's Arthur Serafim, the freshman from Hungary won his two sets 6-3 and 6-2, bringing NAU up 3-0 against WSU.
Steele, in his 6-1 and 6-4 sets, clinched the match for Northern Arizona. The big win from the senior brings the Lumberjacks to a perfect 3-0 conference record, ensuring an automatic bid into the Big Sky Conference Championships.
Alex Groves and Maciej Ziomber nailed in the 6-1 team victory over Weber State as the last two 'Jacks to beat their singles court opponents. Groves secured his point in two sets of 6-2 against Brendan Barr, while Ziomber pushed himself to a three set tiebreaker.
Ziomber went down in the initial set, 6-2. However, the freshman did not give up hope. After being tied 3-3 in the second, Ziomber went on a scoring spree, rallying together three more winning games over Van Schoor. In the final tie breaking round, Ziomber bested the Wildcat by six, winning 10-4.
While today's win earns Northern Arizona its bid into the championship series, there is still a little over a month until the competition. The Lumberjacks will continue its non conference schedule with six more matches on the road, beginning April 7 against Air Force.
DOUBLES
- GROVES, Alex/TUMOSA, Facundo (NAU) vs. BO-HAN, Li/VAN WYK, Kris (WSU), 3-3, unfinished
- BUZONICS, Dominik/STEELE, Chris (NAU) def. BUXMAN, Sebastian/SERFIM, Arthur (WSU), 6-1
- ZIOMBER, Maciej/DILLON, Daniel (NAU) def. VAN SCHOOR, Michiel/BARR, Brendan (WSU), 6-2
Order of finish: 2, 3
SINGLES
- STRAKER-MEADS, Eban (NAU) def. VAN WYK, Kris (WSU), 0-0, win by forfeit
- BUXMAN, Sebastian (WSU) def. TUMOSA, Facundo (NAU), 6-4, 6-1
- BUZONICS, Dominik (NAU) def. SERAFIM, Arthur (WSU), 6-3, 6-2
- STEELE, Chris (NAU) def. LI, Bo-Han (WSU), 6-1, 6-4
- ZIOMBER, Maciej (NAU) def. VAN SCHOOR, Michiel (WSU), 2-6, 6-3, 10-4
- GROVES, Alex (NAU) def. BARR, Brendan (WSU), 6-2, 6-2
Order of finish: 1, 3, 4, 2, 6, 5
