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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Facing one of the top teams in the Big Sky on the road Sunday, the Portland State women's tennis team couldn't mount a big upset, as the Vikings fell 7-0 to Northern Arizona at the Aquatic and Tennis Complex.
 
The Lumberjacks (5-2, 3-0 Big Sky) swept the Vikings (0-6, 0-4 Big Sky) in singles and doubles Sunday, and won all six singles matches in straight sets.
 
"We were a little slow getting started, with our energy level and our legs, but we got it going in the second sets, so I was proud of the team for continuing to fight and compete," PSU head coach Jay Sterling said. "We only won six games in first sets, but we won 17 in the second sets, and you would have thought we were winning because of the way we were cheering and the way we were carrying ourselves on the court.
 
"NAU is a tough team and they played well today, but I'm proud of the attitude the team showed today, as we fought for every ball until the final point.
 
The Vikings were facing a tough task against the Lumberjacks Sunday, as the Vikings had never beaten the Lumberjacks on their home court, and had only one point in their six previous matches against the Lumberjacks in Flagstaff.
 
The Lumberjacks have also been off to a good start this season, as they beat preseason Big Sky favorite Sacramento State 4-3 earlier this season, and beat Southern Utah 7-0 a day before they faced the Vikings.
 
Northern Arizona got off to a good start against the Vikings, too, as they won all three doubles matches by 6-1 or 6-2 scores to take the doubles point, and then won five of the six first sets in singles by 6-0 or 6-1 scores.
 
The Vikings rebounded in the second sets in singles, though, especially at lines one and six where the Vikings' Tracy Dong and Taylor Rees came back to challenge their opponents to close out the match.
 
Dong came back after losing the first set to All-Big Sky first-team selection Hanneke Lodewijks, 6-1, at line one, and took Lodewijks deep into the second set before losing 6-4.
 
Rees, meanwhile, lost the first set to NAU's Eirene Granville, 6-1, at line six, but rebounded to take Granville into a tiebreaker in the second set. Granville stepped up to win the second-set tiebreaker, 7-2, however, giving her the 6-1, 7-6 (2) win.
 
Freshman Sally Partington played the most balanced match of any of the Vikings, as she was in both sets against NAU's Brandy Walker at line four, but still lost 6-3, 6-3. The loss snaps Partington's two-match winning streak coming into the match, after she broke through for her first singles wins during the dual season last Sunday and Monday.
 
The Vikings will continue on the road next weekend, as they head to Idaho State and Weber State next Thursday and Saturday. The Vikings will play at Idaho State first at 10 a.m. (MT) Thursday, and then head to Weber State to play the Wildcats at 12 p.m. (MT) Saturday.
 
Match Notes: The Vikings fell to 1-17 all-time against Northern Arizona with Sunday's loss to the Lumberjacks…The Vikings fell to 0-7 all-time on the road against Northern Arizona…Siena Peri played against the first regionally ranked opponent the Vikings have faced this season, as she faced Chiara Tomasetti at line two with Tomasetti tied for 18th in singles in the ITA Mountain region.

Northern Arizona 7, Portland State 0
Feb 26, 2017 at Flagstaff, Ariz. (Aquatic and Tennis Complex) 

Singles competition

1. Hanneke Lodewijks (NAU) def. DONG, Tracy (PSU) 6-1, 6-4

2. Chiara Tomasetti (NAU) def. PERI, Siena (PSU) 6-0, 6-2

3. Blanka Szavay (NAU) def. DOBELL, Georgia (PSU) 6-1, 6-2

4. Brandy Walker (NAU) def. PARTINGTON, Sally (PSU) 6-3, 6-3

5. Marta Lewandowska (NAU) def. PREDA, Sabina-Elena (PSU) 6-0, 6-0

6. Eirene Granville (NAU) def. REES, Taylor (PSU) 6-1, 7-6 (7-2)

 

Doubles competition

1. Chiara Tomasetti/Blanka Szavay (NAU) def. PERI, Siena/DONG, Tracy (PSU) 6-2

2. Brandy Walker/Hanneke Lodewijks (NAU) def. PARTINGTON, Sally/REES, Taylor (PSU) 6-1

3. Hailey Rochin/Marta Lewandowska (NAU) def. DOBELL, Georgia/PREDA, Sabina-Elena (PSU) 6-2

 

Match Notes

Portland State 0-6, 0-4 BSC

Northern Arizona 5-2, 3-0 BSC

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (5,2,3,4,1,6)