SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (March 17, 2022) – Mired in yet another close match, their third 4-3 decision in nine matches this season, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks came up just short of winning a second consecutive match.
Facing the San Francisco Dons (7-4) before moving back into Big Sky Conference play over the next month, the Lumberjacks (2-7, 0-1 Big Sky) split singles play following another close loss during doubles play. The 4-3 loss in San Francisco came just four days after Northern Arizona snapped a five-match losing streak and on the eve of the Lumberjacks' trip to face the Sacramento State Hornets (1-11).
With
Gina Dittmann and
Ava Neyestani winning 7-5 on Court 3 during doubles play, a 6-4 loss on Court 1 by
Mimi Bland and
Annabel Davis left the Lumberjacks just short of the day's opening point at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.
Davis bounced back with a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 6 over San Francisco's Alicia Yue, the first of Northern Arizona's three victories during singles play. However, a trio of straight set losses left the Lumberjacks unable to gather up the four victories needed for the team win.
Dittmann extended her win streak to five consecutive matches with a 4-6, 6-3, 11-9 victory at No. 1 against Maria Martinez-Vaquero. Coming off a MVP season in the Big Sky while also winning Freshman of the Year in the Big Sky last season, Dittmann's only losses this year came at Arizona State and Arizona while her match at No. 33 Utah went unfinished.
Sofia Markova also won her second consecutive match this season and improved to 4-4 this season as she defeated Simran Chhabra 0-6, 7-6, 10-7 at No. 3.
Due to weather concerns in the area for Saturday, Northern Arizona's match with Sacramento State moved up to Friday at 1 p.m. The Hornets have been idle since a 7-0 loss to the Dons on Friday, March 11. Dropping five consecutive matches since beating Grand Canyon 4-3 at home, Sacramento State is opening its Big Sky schedule with the Lumberjacks as the Hornets play eight of their final 10 matches within the conference.
The match will also be the first of seven straight in the Big Sky for Northern Arizona, with three coming in the next 10 days as the Lumberjacks host the Idaho State Bengals and Eastern Washington Eagles next Wednesday, March 23 and Sunday, March 27.
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