MOSCOW, Idaho – The Idaho women's tennis team (10-5, 4-1 BSC) competes in its final regular season road match on Thursday against Northern Arizona before returning to Lewiston to face Sacramento State on Sunday, April 14.
The race in the Big Sky Conference standings is heating up with three matches remaining, as Idaho sits in a tie for first with a 4-1 Big Sky record. Montana also places first with a 4-1 mark, while Idaho State and Weber State follow in a tie for second at 4-2.
The Vandals head to Arizona with hopes to continue their winning habits after earning its fourth straight conference win last Saturday against Portland State. They extended their streak thanks to a thrilling 4-3 victory against the Vikings. The match was tied 2-2 before Idaho went on to post two singles victories, including a match-clinching win by freshman
Diana Khaydarshina in straight-set fashion.
Idaho is led by its underclassmen who hold a combined 37 singles wins, including 17 victories over Big Sky opponents.
Valentina Rodas and
Naomi Schraeder sit atop the leaderboard in singles, boasting a perfect 5-0 Big Sky record. Rodas and Schraeder are just two of four Big Sky players who own an undefeated record in conference play.
Ida Johansson follows with a 4-1 singles mark while
Diana Khaydarshina adds a 3-2 record.
Idaho's No. 3 doubles pair
Lena Beckx and
Rachelle Starreveld lead the team with a 10-4 overall mark and a 3-2 record in conference. Johansson and doubles partner
Saffron Dowse have also put up strong performances in doubles with a 3-2 conference mark.
Scouting Northern Arizona
Northern Arizona (5-12, 2-5 BSC) dropped their previous two matches during a trip to Montana, where they fell to Montana, 1-6 and Montana State, 3-4. The Lumberjacks are 1-10 on the road but hold a 3-2 record at home. The Big Sky Preseason favorites are led by Dolavee Tumthong, who tallies an 8-5 overall singles record and a 3-1 effort in the Big Sky. Another strong performer is Patrycja Niewiadomska, who was unanimously voted Big Sky Freshman of the Year last season and now holds an 8-7 overall record on court one.
Series History vs. the Lumberjacks
NAU currently leads the series 13-6 overall since the 1994-1995 season. The Lumberjacks head into the match with a four-game win streak, while most recently earning a 4-3 victory against the Vandals last season in Moscow.
Scouting Sac State
Sacramento State (14-6, 3-2 BSC) also just completed a trip to Montana where they suffered a 2-5 loss to both Montana and Montana State. The Hornets are 10-2 at home but hold a 4-4 record on the road. The team has seen a standout performance in singles action from freshman, Irene Riva. Riva has been named Big Sky Player of the Week twice this season and leads the Hornets with a 15-2 overall record and a perfect 5-0 conference mark. Riva and her doubles partner Maddy Ferrero lead the team in doubles, posting an 11-2 record in the second position.
Series History vs. the Hornets
Idaho owns a 6-4 overall mark over the Hornets since 1994-1995. The Hornets have won two straight and most recently earned a 5-2 victory over the Vandals on their home court last season.
Up Next
The Vandals conclude the regular season in Lewiston with a contest against Idaho State on Tuesday, April 16 at 9 a.m. PST.
--
