GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- The University of North Dakota women's tennis team defeated Milwaukee, 5-2, on Saturday afternoon from Choice Health and Fitness in Grand Forks, N.D.
"I love the toughness, determination and sheer will-power that our team seems to embrace," said UND head coach
Tom Boysen. "This match was extremely close, and the outcome was truly determined by a few points here and there."
UND (7-6) dropped the doubles point, but it didn't waiver the hosts, responding with three straight singles wins to turn the 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead.
"After losing the doubles point, jumping out to early, quick leads on Allie's, Lucia's and Angela's courts was huge for us," said Boysen. "It restored some calmness and took away some panic."
It was those three that brought UND back, with
Angela Georgieva leveling the score at 1-1 with a 6-1, 6-2 victory at the bottom court before
Allie Ochotorena gave the Fighting Hawks a 2-1 lead by a 6-2, 6-3 score at the third position.
Sapir Sela pushed the match to its brink at the top court with another win, this time by a 7-5, 6-3 advantage.
The Panthers brought the advantage to 3-2 with a victory on the No. 2 court, but it was the freshman
Lucia Rizza who sealed the win in a three-set thriller. The rookie jumped out with a 6-1 win in the first set before dropping the second, 6-4, to force a tiebreaker. There, Rizza notched a 6-2 victory to claim the contest and get the clinch.
Nore Heinitz added the fifth point for the hosts with a 1-6, 7-6, 6-4 triumph to polish off the 5-2 win.
"Nore coming back from a 1-6, 0-3 down was monumental in that it kept that point off the baord for Milwaukee," Boysen stressed. "Sapir came through in ye another close match at the No. 1. Lucia has won so many matches for us already this spring. It was nice to see her get the clinch."
North Dakota heads to Tulsa to battle the Golden Hurricane and open conference play against Oral Roberts next week.
