FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (September 27, 2026) - The Northern Arizona women's tennis team hosted their annual Lumberjack Classic in Flagstaff, spanning three days. Each day began with doubles matches, leading into singles for all four squads. The 'Jacks saw match-ups with North Texas, Utah Tech, and New Mexico State.
Four NAU players played in the Lumberjack Classic, freshman Sofiia Kucherova, redshirt freshman Madelynn Ludwig, senior Andrea Noguera, and senior Natalie Rainke.
On Sept. 25 Rainke and Ludwig won their doubles match against Utah Tech's Ilse Fernanda Ortega and Cameron Hendrix, 6-3. Kucherova and Noguera fell to North Texas' Stadfany Nformi and Zimora McKnight, 6-2.
In singles, 'Jacks saw two wins on the first day. Rainke beat Maya Inouye in straight sets, the first by a narrow margin, 7-6, 6-4. Noguera defeated North Texas' Ujin Batsukh in three sets, making a comeback from a lost first set, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Kucherova won the first set but ultimately fell to Hendrix, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. Ludwig fell to Anna Klimova from New Mexico State, 6-0, 6-2.
On the second day (Sept. 26), the Lumberjacks picked up two doubles wins, with Rainke and Ludwig beating North Texas' Lilly Schultz and Batsukh, 6-4, and Kucherova and Noguera defeating Utah Tech's Adriana Zurita Berdecio and Inouye, 6-4.
NAU claimed three wins in singles. Noguera saw her second singles win of the weekend, beating Emma Petton from New Mexico State in straight sets, 7-6(5), 6-1.
The momentum continued for the 'Jacks with Kucherova earning her first singles win, defeating Mariella Gelbke from New Mexico State in straight sets, 6-0, 6-4. Ludwig also saw her first singles win of the weekend, beating Nadia Nemeth from New Mexico State in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.
On Sept. 27, the third and final day of the Classic, the 'Jacks fell in both doubles. Rainke and Ludwig fell to North Texas' Carolina Laydner and Maya Chen, 6-4. Noguera and Kucherova fell in a narrow match against Fernanda and Hendrix, 7-5.
The Lumberjack Classic concluded with three singles wins. Noguera beat Anna Kilmova in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. Ludwig beat Ana Gutierrez Sampere from Utah Tech in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4. Kucherova fell to Nemeth, 6-3, 6-1.
Rainke won one of her two singles matches. She fell to McKnight, 6-3, 6-2. Then, she beat Gelbke in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4.
The NAU women's tennis team will be back in action for the Tulsa Invite from Oct. 2-4 in Tulsa, Okla.
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