Griz and Lumberjacks go neck-and-neck in Saturday matchup

Saturday, April 2

Missoula, Mont.

2 PM

Montana

Northern Arizona

Photo by: Derek Johnson

Griz and Lumberjacks go neck-and-neck in Saturday matchup

4/2/2022 7:41:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score Photo Gallery

MISSOULA, Mont. – The Montana women's tennis team fell to Northern Arizona, 4-3, in Saturday afternoon's match at the PEAK Racquet Club. The Griz (6-13, 1-6 BSC) kept the momentum going from Friday's match, but the Lumberjacks (7-7, 5-1 BSC) played well in the right moments to take home the win.

"Today was an epic battle that went down to the wire. Winning the doubles point was huge and we had them on the ropes. Hats off to NAU for pulling out the match," said head coach Steve Ascher.

The Griz came out the gate firing, clinching the first point of the day for the second match in a row. NAU won the first doubles match on court three, with Dittman/Neyestani defeating Ivayla Mitkova and Alex Walker 6-3. Though the Lumberjacks won the first match out of the three, the Griz pulled through to come out with a point thanks to UM's Olivia Oosterbaan, Maria Goheen, Grace Haugen, and Lauren Dunlap.

On court two, juniors Oosterbaan and Goheen took down NAU's Duhl/Markova, 6-3, to leave the deciding point to the last doubles match. Soon after, Haugen and Dunlap came out on top on court one after a dominating performance to win 6-4 over Bland/Davis and clinch the doubles point.

Junior Goheen kept the ball rolling into singles, cruising past Elinor Beazley in straight sets (6-0, 6-2) to put the Griz up two over the Lumberjacks.

UM's Haugen battled it out in position one with Gina Dittmann, where she fell in the first set 6-4. In the second set, Haugen and Dittmann were back-and-forth, but the Lumberjack came out on top in a tiebreaker, winning 7-6(2).

Northern Arizona started to gain some momentum throughout singles play, with Sofia Markova taking down senior Griz Dunlap in straight sets. Though it was a straight-set loss for Dunlap, she battled in the first set to bring it to a tiebreaker, losing 7-6(0), and lost in the second set 6-4.

Montana's Oosterbaan showed grit on court two, despite the three-set loss against Northern Arizona's Mimi Bland. The junior Griz fell in the first set 6-2 but came back in the second to win 6-3. Oosterbaan then went neck-and-neck with Bland in the third set, but ultimately fell 7-5.

Grizzly Mitkova gave Montana its third point of the day after defeating Laura Duhl in straight sets in position five. Mitkova cruised past Duhl 6-2 in the first set, then 6-3 in the second, bringing the deciding point of the day to the last match in position six.

Senior Walker gave her all in the last match of the day, going back-and-forth with NAU's Ava Neyestani, but fell in straight sets (6-3, 7-6(3)).

Montana will be back in action next weekend to face Sacramento State for the last match of the regular season. The Griz and Hornets are scheduled to face off Saturday, April 9, at 10 a.m. at the PEAK Racquet Club. Admission is free for all fans and spectators.