The Vandals lost out on a chance to secure a No. 1 seed in the Big Sky Championship, as the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks defeated Idaho’s women’s tennis team 4-3 Saturday. After rebounding against Southern Utah 6-1 Sunday, the Vandals will enter the Big Sky Championship as the No. 2 seed and will be rewarded with a first-round bye.
Against the Lumberjacks, Idaho found itself in a hole early. With not a single Vandal victory in doubles, Petrei and fellow senior Maria Tavares did their best to even the score. The pair of victories by the two seniors proved not enough, however, as the Lumberjacks secured three singles victories, just enough to slip past the Silver and Gold on their way to an eventual nine-game win streak.
Idaho would eventually redeem itself against the Thunderbirds, a crucial victory that would secure the valuable first-round bye for the Vandals.
In doubles, Petrei and Tavares showcased their combined eight years of experience, defeating their opponents 6-3.
After the notching the doubles point, Idaho went on a tear in singles, with just one loss on court No. 6.
The Vandals will have four days to prepare for the Big Sky Championship, which begins April 26. In the semifinals, Idaho will take on the highest remaining seed of the first round at 11 a.m. in Pheonix, Arizona.
Meanwhile, Idaho’s men’s team closed out the season with a 5-2 loss to Eastern Washington Saturday. The match was Idaho last of the year, as the team missed the postseason for the first time since entering the Big Sky Conference in 2014.
Brandon Hill can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @brandonmtnhill