FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., -- The Wyoming Cowgirl tennis team lost a hard-fought match Saturday at Northern Arizona as the Cowgirls were unable to hold onto an early lead on the road as the Lumberjacks were able to rally for a 5-2 win.

"When you're on the road playing a team that hasn't lost at home in almost two years, you have to put them away when you have the opportunities," said UW head coach Dean Clower after the match.

"We had the momentum during this match for over two hours and we let them hang around until they got back into the match. Kudos to NAU for not going away and taking the match from us. Being a young team like we are isn't an excuse, and we will fix it."

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Wyoming (4-4) jumped out to a 1-0 lead after sweeping doubles play and earning the doubles' point. All three doubles tandems for the Cowgirls won 6-4 as Noesjka Brink and Maria Oreshkina at No. 1, Ana Fernandez and Sophie Zehender at the No. 2 spot and Mihaela Kaftanova and Lucia Malinak at No. 3, all claimed wins.

In singles play, UW reclaimed the match lead at 2-1 after Zehender's straight-sets victory at the No. 2 position over Ellie Millard, 6-4 and 6-0. However, Zehender's victory was the Cowgirls' only win during singles play in Saturday's loss.

UW suffered a trio of three-set losses in singles play, all of which coming after the Cowgirls won set one. At No. 1, Oreshkina fell to Gina Dittman 6-2, 3-6 and 3-6, at No. 5, Malinak was bested by Elinor Beazley 7-6, 6-7 and 6-4 and at the sixth spot, Alyse Cormier lost to Madi Moore, 6-4, 6-7 and 6-4.

Next up, the Cowgirls look to rebound in their first home match since April 20, 2019. Wyoming's first home dual in 685 days is March 5 at 3 p.m., as Weber State comes to town. A limited number of 100 fans will be allowed at the Wyoming Tennis Complex for Friday's match.

Wyoming at Northern Arizona
2/27/21 at Flagstaff, Ariz.

Wyoming 2, NAU 5
Doubles competition

1. Noesjka Brink/Maria Oreshkina (WYO) def. Mimi Bland/Ellie Millard (NAU) 6-4
2. Ana Fernandez/Sophie Zehender (WYO) def. Elinor Beazley/Gina Dittmann (NAU) 6-4
3. Mihaela Kaftanova/Lucia Malinak (WYO) def. Madi Moore/Ava Neyestani (NAU) 6-4

Singles competition
1. Dittmann (NAU) def. Oreshkina (WYO) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
2. Zehender (WYO) def. Millard (NAU) 6-4, 6-0
3. Bland (NAU) def. Fernandez (WYO) 6-1, 7-6
4. Neyestani (NAU) def. Brink (WYO) 6-3, 6-1
5. Beazley (NAU) def. Malinak (WYO) 6-7, 7-6, 6-4
6. Moore (NAU) def. Alyse Cormier (WYO) 4-6, 7-6, 6-4

* University of Wyoming press release

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