BEAVERTON, Ore. - The Portland State women's tennis team fell short of the program's second-ever victory over No. 52 Northern Arizona on Saturday at the Tualatin Hills Tennis Center, dropping the third set in four singles matches as the Lumberjacks took the dual, 5-2. The Vikings fell to 5-7 (1-1 BSC), while NAU improved to 6-4 (2-0 BSC).

"I felt the team represented themselves, their school and their coaches at the highest level possible today," Viking head coach Kyle Russell said. "We left some matches on the table but effort-wise we left everything on the court today. I'm proud of this team and ready to get back to work." 

Russell and his squad stuck to their guns in doubles action, putting on yet another impressive performance to secure the opening point. No. 1 duo Capu Sanoner and Masha Ponomareva improved to 5-0 on the year after a 6-1 win over Mimi Bland and Ana Guadiana Campos. The opening point came down to Nika Beukers and Makoto Ohara on court three after NAU picked up a win at the No. 2 position. Beukers and Ohara proved their mettle as they pulled off a 6-4 victory over Sofia Markova and Ana Neyestani to secure the 1-0 lead for PSU. 

As a result of losing third sets and tiebreaks, the Vikings dropped five of six singles matches. Sanoner was the lone Viking to secure a singles win, doing so 6-1, 7-5 over Guadiana Campos at No. 2. 

Of the four matches that went to a final set, two saw first-set victories from PSU. Playing at No. 4, Beukers earned a 7-5 win over Shoshyna before losing the final two sets in dramatic fashion (5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7)). In the No. 3 position, Elizabeth Strongina fell victim to a comeback by Niewiadomska, surrendering her match 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-4. At No. 5 singles, Nell Arendt clawed her way to a third set against Neyestani before suffering a tiebreaker loss in the final set (6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (1)). Having lost a first-set tiebreaker by two points, Ohara failed to overcome Laura Duhl in the six spot, falling 7-6 (8), 4-6, 6-2.

Portland State will continue conference action at home next Saturday, March 11 (10 a.m.), as they take on Weber State at the Tualatin Hills Tennis Center.