WOMEN'S TENNIS TAKES DOWN NORTHERN ARIZONA IN CONFERENCE OPENER

2/15/2008

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - The Sacramento State women's tennis team defeated the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks in their conference opener by a score of 4-3, on Fri., Feb. 15 at Flagstaff Athletic Club East.

With the win, Sacramento State improves to 5-1, 1-0 in Big Sky Conference action, while the Lumberjacks fall to 7-4, 2-1 in the Big Sky.

Northern Arizona took home the doubles point, posting back-to-back victories at the No. 2 and No. 1 doubles positions, after Hornet juniors Luba Schifris and Joyce Martinez Gutierrez posted an 8-4 victory at the No. 3 position over Regan Newman and Paij Porter.

On the singles side, the Hornets were victorious in four of the first five matches that finished to clinch the victory. The Hornets picked up victories at the No. 1, No. 2, No. 4 and No. 6 positions, with freshman Melissa Valenzuela picking up the clinching point at No. 2 singles, winning a hard fought battle with Stacey Pinchbeck, 7-6 (11-9), 6-4. Sophomore Katrina Zheltova defeated Edit Suhajda at No. 1 singles 6-0, 6-1, Schifris defeated Paij Porter at No. 4 singles, and sophomore Aileen Tsan was victorious over Amiee Oki at No. 6 singles 6-0, 6-3.

With her singles victory, Valenzuela improved to 5-1 in her first spring season, with all of her matches being played at the No. 2 singles position.

The Hornets return to action Saturday morning as they face off against Pac-10 foe Arizona. First serve of doubles is scheduled for 10 a.m. at LaNelle Robson Tennis Courts, weather permitting, as the Wildcats scheduled match today against Long Beach State was rained out.

#59 Sacramento State 4, Northern Arizona 3
2/15/2008 at Flagstaff, Ariz. (Flagstaff Athletic Club East)

Singles competition
1. #63 Katrina Zheltova (SAC) def. Edit Suhajda (NAU) 6-0, 6-1
2. Melissa Valenzuela (SAC) def. Stacey Pinchbeck (NAU) 7-6 (11-9), 6-4
3. Stephanie Vallejos (NAU) def. Anastassia Lyssenko (SAC) 6-3, 6-2
4. Luba Schifris (SAC) def. Paij Porter (NAU) 2-6, 6-0, 6-1
5. Leslie Vial (NAU) def. Joyce Martinez Gutierrez (SAC) 6-3, 6-3
6. Aileen Tsan (SAC) def. Amiee Oki (NAU) 6-0, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. Edit Suhajda/Leslie Vial (NAU) def. Katrina Zheltova/Melissa Valenzuela (SAC) 8-5
2. Amiee Oki/Stephanie Vallejos (NAU) def. Aileen Tsan/Anastassia Lyssenko (SAC) 8-4
3. Luba Schifris/Joyce Martinez Gutierrez (SAC) def. Regan Newman/Paij Porter (NAU) 8-4

Match Notes
Sacramento State 5-1 (1-0 BSC); National ranking #59
Northern Arizona University 7-4 (2-1 BSC)
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,3,6,2,5)