Box Score (PDF)

LOGAN, Utah – Utah State's women's tennis team wrapped up its five-match season-opening homestand with a 5-2 loss to Northern Arizona on Sunday at the Sports Academy & Racquet Club.
 
"I truly think NAU is the best team we will play all year, and we played very well," said USU head coach Sean McInerney. "We were much improved in singles match play from BYU, and that was the goal, to come out here and compete. Obviously, we did.
 
"They have an elite No. 1 player that you can't do anything about, but two through six was an absolute war. I was proud of the way we stepped up and showed great improvement from the BYU match to this, and now it prepares us for Utah."
 
The Aggies fell to 3-2 on the season, while the Lumberjacks broke into the win column for the first time after opening the year 0-3.
 
"It is important that we keep our heads held high," said Utah State senior Hannah Jones. "There wasn't a match today that we didn't fight, so sometimes, other teams just get the better of you and you have to take in on the chin and move on."
 
For the second-consecutive match, Utah State lost the doubles point. At second doubles, Carolina Millan and Renata Lombera lost to NAU's Chiara Tomasetti and Ellie Millard, 6-1. The Lumberjacks clinched the point when Adrianna Sosnowska teamed up with Mimi Bland to defeat the Aggie duo of Sidnee Lavatai and Jones, 6-2.
 
"The doubles point is absolutely crucial," Jones said. "We need to start coming out stronger in doubles in order to set ourselves up better in singles play, and not put as much pressure on certain matches and certain players. Getting that doubles point is very important."
 
On court three, the Aggies' Gabrielle Dekkers and Zara Ryan were trailing 5-3, but the match was left unfinished after NAU clinched the doubles point.
 
NAU captured the first two singles matches to grab a 3-0 lead. Tomasetti won in straight sets in the No. 1 spot over USU senior Lucy Octave, 6-1, 6-0. On court four, the Lumberjacks' Emilie Haakansson beat Lombera, 6-4, 7-5.
 
Jones gave Utah State its first singles victory on court three with a hard-fought 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 win over Millard.
 
All eyes then turned to court two, where Dekkers was battling Sosnowska to keep the Aggies' hopes alive for a possible comeback. However, Sosnowska won in straight sets 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (10-8) to clinch the match for NAU.
 
"Hannah did a great job," McInerney said. "Millard is a really tough player to play. She attacks all the time and Hannah played a really smart match, a mature match, and picked the right times to be aggressive and picked the right times to stay neutral. She did a great job; all of them did.
 
"Gabby is growing up before our eyes and becoming a very good player. She took that loss hard on court two, but she should. She is a competitive girl and that was a step in the right direction for her."
 
On court five, Utah State sophomore Annaliese County won her first set over Elinor Beazley, 6-2, but the NAU freshman battled back to win the next two sets, 7-5, 6-3, and give the Lumberjacks a 5-1 lead in the match.
 
Lavatai closed the match on a positive note for the Aggies as she won on court six, 6-3, 6-3, over NAU's Madi Moore.
 
Utah State is back in action on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 11 a.m., when the Aggies travel to Salt Lake City to take on in-state rival Utah.
 
Fans can follow USU's women's tennis team on Twitter @USUWomensTennis, on Facebook at /UtahStateWomensTennis or on Instagram at USUWomensTennis. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.
 
RESULTS
Doubles
1. SOSNOWSKA, Adrianna/BLAND, Mimi (NAU) def. LAVATAI, Sidnee/JONES, Hannah (USU), 6-2*
2. TOMASETTI, Chiara/MILLARD, Ellie (NAU) def. MILLAN, Carolina/LOMBERA, Renata (USU), 6-1
3. DEKKERS, Gabrielle/RYAN, Zara (USU) vs. HAAKANSSON, Emilie/BEAZLEY, Elinor (NAU), 3-5, unfinished
 
* Clinched Doubles Point

Singles
1. TOMASETTI, Chiara (NAU) def. OCTAVE, Lucy (USU), 6-1, 6-0
2. SOSNOWSKA, Adrianna (NAU) def. DEKKERS, Gabrielle (USU), 7-6, 7-6**
3. JONES, Hannah (USU) def. MILLARD, Ellie (NAU), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4
4. HAAKANSSON, Emilie (NAU) def. LOMBERA, Renata (USU), 6-4, 7-5
5. BEAZLEY, Elinor (NAU) def. COUNTY, Annaliese (USU), 2-6, 7-5, 6-3
6. LAVATAI, Sidnee (USU) def. MOORE, Madi (NAU), 6-3, 6-3
 
** Clinched Match

Match Notes
NAU 1-3
Utah State 3-2
Order of finish: Doubles – 2, 1; Singles – 1, 4, 3, 2, 5, 6
 
-USU-