DES MOINES, Iowa -- The University of North Dakota women's tennis team opened up its non-championship portion of its schedule on Friday at the Drake Invite. A total of six members of the Fighting Hawks team competed on the opening day of competition, which was highlighted by doubles play. 

Competing against top programs in the area, including conference foes Omaha and South Dakota, North Dakota finished with an overall record of 9-3 on Friday. The Hawks dominated doubles action with a 6-1 mark and posted a 3-2 singles record. 

Head Coach Tom Boysen: 
"It was great to transition from the practice courts in Grand Forks to actual competition. The feedback that Coach Anderson and I get from these tournaments is vital to our players' development and our planning for the championship season. We won a good number of the close matches today, which is a good sign. Our players were tough and determined in the big moments of the matches. We had a very good day in doubles, especially considering we had some new partnerships playing for the first time together.  It's great to have two of our teams in the finals of their respective draws. Congrats to Nyah Kauders and Jule Schulte for going 3-0 on their first day of competition as a Hawk!"

The Highlights: 

• Andrea Jansson and Nyah Kaunders posted back-to-back 8-6 wins in doubles action to finish 2-0 in the A Draw. 
• It was also a 2-0 day for the duo of Nore Heinitz and Jule Schulte, with an 8-1 victory over Omaha and 9-8 (7-5) triumph over Augustana in the B Draw.
• In the C Draw, Angela Georgieva and Charlotte Bowles bounced back from a first round defeat with two straight wins against Drake (8-6) and Augustana (8-4). 
• Kaunders notched a singles victory over Augustana, 1-6, 6-1, 10-6, to advance in the A Flight. 
• In the B Flight, Schulte picked up the first singles win of her collegiate career, 7-5, 6-3, over Nebraska-Kearney. 
• Bowles rolled to a pair of 6-1 scores in her opening round singles match in the C Draw against Nebraska-Kearney. 

North Dakota will continue play at the three-day tournament on Saturday.