GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- Taking on one of the top programs in the conference and nation, the University of North Dakota women's tennis team dropped a 6-1 decision to Denver on Saturday afternoon from Choice Health and Fitness. 

UND (7-9, 2-2 Summit League) battled on nearly every court against a team that entered Saturday's match receiving votes in the ITA Tennis National Polls, but ended the home slate with a tough defeat. 

Denver (10-3, 3-0 Summit League) took control in doubles play with back-to-back wins by a 6-2 score on the No. 1 and No. 2 courts to take a 1-0 lead in the match. Kaede Amano and Charlotte Bowles were trailing 4-3 in their contest when two-person play was halted. 

In singles play, the bottom courts favored the Pioneers as the visitors picked up wins in two sets from the fourth, fifth and sixth spots to seal the overall match victory. The visitors also added a triumph on the second court, but Sapir Sela battled the No. 116 ranked singles player in the country, Anna Riedmiller, to three sets in a 7-6, 6-7, 10-8 contest. 

Andrea Jansson kept her strong play rolling with a pair of 6-3 wins at the No. 3 spot to get the Fighting Hawks on the board. 

North Dakota returns to action next Friday in Omaha to begin the final weekend of the regular season, as the Hawks look to stamp their place in the Summit League Tennis Championships.