Chris Steele
Maria Saldivar
4
Winner Northern Arizona NAU (5-6)
3
Air Force AF (6-8)
Winner
Northern Arizona NAU
(5-6)
4
Final
3
Air Force AF
(6-8)

Match Recap: Men's Tennis | | Katie Rapp, NAU Athletic Communications

Chris Steele Clinches NAU Men’s Tennis Match, 4-3, Over Air Force Falcons

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., (April 7, 2021) – In today's 4-3 win against the Air Force Falcons, Northern Arizona men's tennis clinched its first non conference match of the season, bringing its record up to 5-6. 
The 'Jacks earned their 4-3 victory strictly from singles courts wins from Eban Straker-Meads, Maciej Ziomber, Chris Steele, and Dominik Buzonics. 

"Team showed incredible grit again today," head coach Maciej Bogusz said. "We were behind almost the whole match and pulled out a win. Guys played better as the match went on and I am proud of the way we fight no matter what the scoreboard says, it's the Lumberjack way."

Straker-Meads and Ziomber were the first two able to secure points for Northern Arizona on its singles courts today. Playing on No. 1 and No. 4 respectively, the Lumberjacks outscored their Air Force opponents in only two sets. 

Coming from a 2-1 deficit in the first set, Straker-Meads did not allow his Air Force opponent to win any more games. The senior from Nottingham, England, went on a five game winning streak to take the first set 6-2 over Hendrix. Straker-Meads would take his second set win at 6-3. 

Ziomber finished in opposite set scores than Straker-Meads. The freshman from Katowice, Poland, earned a 6-3 victory in the first and a 6-2 win in the second. Today's singles court win marks his seventh straight win.

Steele and Buzonics would each fight for their singles win as well. After falling in their first sets, the 'Jacks would battle to three and ultimately clinch the win for NAU.

Buzonics faced a similar situation on court No. 3 against Justin Waldman. Waldman took the first set, beating the Lumberjack 6-4, but Buzonics turned the score around, bringing the second set into a tiebreaker. Finishing 7-6, Buzonics also forced his court into the third set. 

Buzonics would bring the match up to a 3-3 tie against the Falcons, with either team needing just one final singles court win to clinch.

Steele, against Robert Baylon, fell 2-6, but came back in a 7-6 victory over the Falcon. Sending the two into their third set, Steele battled to a 7-5 victory over Baylon and clinched the match, 4-3 for Northern Arizona's fifth win of the season.

This marks the second time Steele has clinched a 4-3 victory for Northern Arizona, with the first against Big Sky Sacramento State back on March 17.

"Congrats to Chris for raising to the occasion and clinching the win again for us," Bogusz said. "He believes in his tennis game and it shows at the most important moments."

In doubles today, the Lumberjacks were unable to win on any of their three courts, but they did challenge the Falcons. Groves and Buzonics pushed their court to a 6-4 loss, while Steele and Straker-Meads went to 6-5. 

NAU will head up to Denver for its second match of its three game Colo. road swing tomorrow afternoon. The Lumberjacks will face the Metro State Roadrunners at 1 p.m. MST.

DOUBLES
  1. HENDRIX, Paul/BAUTISTA, Jamie (AFA) def. GROVES, Alex/BUZONICS, Dominik (NAU), 6-4
  2. AZUMA, Jordan/BAYLON,Robert (AFA) def. STEELE, Chris/Straker-Meads (NAU), 6-5
  3. MCKENDREE, Sean/WALDMAN, Justin (AFA) def. ZIOMBER, Maciej/DILLON, Daniel (NAU), 6-1

SINGLES
  1. STRAKER-MEADS, Eban (NAU) def. HENDRIX, Paul (AFA), 6-2, 6-3
  2. STEELE, Chris (NAU) def. BAYLON, Robert (AFA), 2-6, 7-6, 7-5
  3. BUZONICS, Dominik (NAU) WALDMAN, Justin (AFA), 4-6, 7-6, 6-2
  4. ZIOMBER, Maciej (NAU) def. MASCAGNI, Jonathan (AFA), 6-3, 6-2
  5. MCKENDREE, Sean (AFA) def. GROVES, Alex (NAU), 6-4, 7-5
  6. VROMAN, Nick (AFA) def. SCHAEFER, Joachim (NAU), 6-3, 6-4
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