Women’s tennis undefeated in Big Sky Conference

in Sports by Shakina Washington — February 21, 2012 at 11:02 am | no comments

The NAU women’s tennis team faced a three-match road test this past weekend against top-20 squad ASU, along with Big Sky Conference (BSC) opponents Weber State University (WSU) and Idaho State University (ISU). The road trip included a blow-out by the hand of the Sun Devils and two shut-outs of their own.

The Lumberjacks halted the Bengals from winning a match in both doubles and singles play, and dominated the contest 7–0.

“It’s helped me a lot playing, and I think that playing matches has helped me more and more,” said junior Ghizelene Doballah. “I feel very confident for the next one too.”

Doballah returned as one of the Jacks leading scorers for the season and teamed up with fellow junior Malia Wahinepio for NAU’s first doubles win, 8–5, against ISU. After taking the first set of her singles match 6–4, Doballah was forced  into a tie-breaker set against the Bengals’ Katharina Marsela, winning a 7–1 tie-breaker, and claimed the go-ahead match for the Lumberjacks.

“We knew what we had to do, and played really well,” Doballah said.

After dropping her first singles set 6–4 against the Bengals, junior Alice Pacaut rallied to defeat sophomore Zamira Vasquez. Pacuat captured the middle set 6–3 and followed with a final set score of 10–2. Pacaut and junior Alice Walker won NAU’s final doubles match of the contest with a 8–5 match score.

“We played well this weekend from number one to number six,” Pacaut said.

Before the Jacks found their way to the Gem State they traveled to Ogden, Utah to face the Wildcats.

NAU ran through WSU in doubles play with two 8–6 match scores and an 8–2 victory from freshmen Hannah Stone and Johanna Vang.

In singles play, Doballah lost her first set to WSU senior Brittiny Moore, 6–2. She came back to beat Moore in the final two sets of the match 6–2 and 6–3.

“(The) scores were tough, but we took care of business,” said head coach Kim Bruno.

The Jacks started the weekend against the No. 19 Sun Devils at the Whiteman Tennis Center. The ladies lost to ASU 7–0 and did not record a single set victory in the match-up.

“The first match against ASU was hard, but I think we did pretty well,” said junior Alice Pacaut.

ASU kept a strong lead the entire match, both in singles and doubles, with the closest set score 6–3.

The loss to the Sun Devils did not faze the Jacks, who claimed No. 2 in the BSC behind the University of Montana Grizzlies.

“We took advantage of our opportunities this weekend,” Bruno said. “We played those tough points well. We were the ones who had courage at the right moments and because of that we won.”