SACRAMENTO -- Sacramento State won the doubles point and got two singles victories to take a 3-1 lead, but Northern Arizona strung together three straight singles wins to defeat the Hornets, 4-3, on Wednesday afternoon on campus. The match marked the Big Sky Conference opener for both teams.
Things looked good early when the Hornets received wins from the doubles combinations of Mark Keki/Liam Liles (7-6 at No. 1) and Hermont Legaspi/Michael Vizcarra (6-4 at No. 2) to pick up the point.
The Hornets then took a 2-0 lead when freshman Jan Silva won his match at No. 6 by a 6-0, 6-1 score. After NAU won at No. 4, Sacramento State took what appeared to be a comfortable 3-1 lead when freshman Mark Keki won at No. 2 (7-5, 6-3). Keki continues to thrive as the true freshman has now won five straight singles matches from the second spot of the order.
However, trailing, 3-1, NAU got wins at No. 1 over Legaspi (6-4, 6-0), No. 5 over freshman Rudolfs Aksenoks (6-3, 6-3 at No. 5) and finally at No. 3 over Vizcarra (4-6, 6-2, 6-4).
The Hornets, who have used four freshmen in their singles lineup in every match this season, dropped to 2-8 overall and 0-1 in league play with the loss. NAU won for the first time this season.
Sacramento State will play its 11th straight home match this Sunday when its hosts Big Sky rival Idaho at 11 a.m.
Northern Arizona 4, Sacramento State 3
Singles competition
1. STRAKER-MEADS, Eban (NAU) def. Legaspi, Hermont (SAC) 6-4, 6-0
2. Keki, Mark (SAC) def. TUMOSA, Facundo (NAU) 7-5, 6-3
3. STEELE, Chris (NAU) def. Vizcarra, Michael (SAC) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
4. BUZONICS, Dominick (NAU) def. Liles, Liam (SAC) 6-4, 6-0
5. ZIOMBER, Maciej (NAU) def. Aksenoks, Rudolfs (SAC) 6-3, 6-3
6. Silva, Jan (SAC) def. SULEN, Marcus (NAU) 6-0, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Liles, Liam/Keki, Mark (SAC) def. TUMOSA, Facundo/GROVES, Alex (NAU) 7-6
2. Legaspi, Hermont/Vizcarra, Michael (SAC) def. STEELE, Chris/BUZONICS, Dominick (NAU) 6-4
3. ZIOMBER, Maciej/DILLON, Daniel (NAU) def. Silva, Jan/Aksenoks, Rudolfs (SAC) 6-3
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,4,2,1,5,3)
