GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- The University of North Dakota women's tennis team protected home court and improved to 3-1 in league action with a 5-2 victory over Kansas City on Saturday afternoon from Choice Health and Fitness in Grand Forks, N.D.
UND (10-9, 3-1 Summit League) remains tied for second in the league standings and sit just one match behind league-leading Denver entering the final month of the season.
"It was a total team effort today," said UND associate head coach
Kyle Anderson. "We brought the right attitude and energy throughout the match to set ourselves up for a huge conference win"
The Fighting Hawks jumped out to a 1-0 lead on the doubles court thanks to a pair of wins on the top and bottom courts.
Sapir Sela and
Andrea Jansson notched a 6-3 victory from the No. 1 position before
Charlotte Bowles and
Nore Heinitz sealed the strong start with a 6-4 triumph from the third spot.
Sela kept it rolling in singles action, with the sophomore extending the lead to 2-0 following a pair of 6-2 scores on the top court, but the Roos answered back with a win at the No. 6 position to cut the deficit to 2-1.
UND pushed the match to its brink with a 6-3, 6-2 win by Jansson on the No. 2 court and it was
Allie Ochotorena to seal the victory by a 6-4, 6-3 score.
"Shoutout to
Allie Ochotorena for clinching the match," said Anderson. "In her four years at UND, Allie has helped lead us to an 11-4 regular season Summit League record at this point. More importantly, she has been an integral part in shaping the team's culture, being an exemplary leader on and off the court and being one of the fiercest competitors I have ever coached."
Lucia Rizza finished off the match with the fifth win of the day for the hosts, capturing a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 triumph on the No. 5 court.
North Dakota heads to Vermillion, S.D. to battle South Dakota next Friday in a Summit League tilt.
