FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Junior Mayya Gornbunova and senior Tsveti Yotova posted a win in doubles, but the Sacramento State women's tennis team was unable to come up with a point against league-leading Northern Arizona on Sunday afternoon, falling to the host Lumberjacks by a 7-0 score at the NAU Tennis Center in Flagstaff, Ariz.
The loss dropped the Hornets to 9-10 overall and 4-4 in league play. They will be the No. 5 seed in the upcoming Big Sky Conference Championship in Arizona on April 27-29, taking on No. 4-seeded Idaho State in the first round. NAU improved to 12-6 overall and a perfect 8-0 in league play, earning a first-round bye into the semifinals.
Gorbunova and Yotova were quick to get the Hornets on the board with their 6-4 win at No. 2 doubles over Laura Duhl and Pat Niewiadomska, but the Lumberjacks outlasted Sacramento State for a 7-5 win at No. 1 to even things up, then claimed the doubles point in a tiebreaker at No. 3 for a 1-0 lead.
Quick wins at No. 3, No. 5, and No. 2 in singles play were enough to give Northern Arizona the win as the Lumberjacks won all three contests in straight sets. Yotova was able to push her match at No. 4 to three sets against Daryna Shoshyna, winning the second set to force a decisive third, while Gorbunova did the same at the No. 1 spot, but fell 10-8 in the third to end the day.
The Hornets have one more regular-season match remaining, hosting Causeway rival UC Davis on Friday (April 21) at 1:30 p.m. Sacramento State will honor its seniors prior to first serve.
NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS
Northern Arizona 7, Sacramento State 0
April 16, 2023 // Flagstaff, Ariz. (NAU Tennis Center)
DOUBLES
1. Elinor Beazley / Ana Guadiana (NAU) def. Weronika Ejsmont / Best Lee (SAC), 7-5
2. Mayya Gorbunova / Tsveti Yotova (SAC) def. Laura Duhl / Pat Niewiadomska (NAU), 6-4
3. Mimi Bland / Ava Neyestani (NAU) def. Maddy Ferreros / Julia Moraes (SAC), 7-6
Order of finish: 2, 1, 3*
SINGLES
1. Sofia Markova (NAU) def. Mayya Gorbunova (SAC), 6-7 (5), 6-4, 10-8
2. Ana Guadiana (NAU) def. Maddy Ferreros (SAC), 6-2, 6-2
3. Pat Niewiadomska (NAU) def. Weronika Ejsmont (SAC), 6-1, 6-1
4. Daryna Shoshyna (NAU) def. Tsveti Yotova (SAC), 6-1, 1-6, 6-3
5. Ava Neyestani (NAU) def. Best Lee (SAC), 6-0, 6-3
6. Laura Duhl (NAU) def. Julia Moraes (SAC), 6-3, 7-6
Order of finish: 3, 5, 2*, 6, 4, 1
