GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- The University of North Dakota women's tennis team opened the home slate with a convincing 6-1 victory over Northern Iowa on Friday afternoon from Choice Health and Fitness in Grand Forks, N.D. 

UND (2-1) has now won three straight matches over the Panthers (0-3-1) since 2019-20, all coming by either 7-0 or 6-1 scores. The Fighting Hawks are also 5-0 in home openers since joining the Summit League in 2018-19. 

"It was great to play in Grand Forks and at Choice for the first time this season," said UND head coach Tom Bosyen. "We appreciate how special our facility is and how supportive our crowds always are, and we want to take advantage of these things."

The hosts jumped out to a hot start once again, capturing the doubles point for the third straight match to take a 1-0 lead. On the top court, Sapir Sela and Andrea Jansson started the afternoon with a 6-0 victory before back-to-back wins by Jule Schulte and Nore Heinitz on the No. 2 court and Charlotte Bowles and Nyah Kauders at the bottom spot by 7-5 scores to close out the two-person play in style. 

"We were definitely fighting some nerves and anxiousness today, especially in the early parts of both doubles and singles," said Boysen. "Once we settled down, good tennis followed."

NoDak kept it rolling singles play, with Heinitz extending the lead to 2-0 on the No. 3 court by a 6-1, 6-0 score and Kauders stretched the match to its brink at the No. 2 spot with a 6-4, 6-1 victory to make it 3-0 in favor of the green and white. 

"I was very pleased with how we expanded leads in several situations today," said Boysen. "Nyah, Nore, Angela and Jule all had good stretches of momentum and really stacked games together for most of their singles matches. That is what good players do when they sense that they can control a match."

The Fighting Hawks dominated the bottom courts to clinch the match victory, as Schulte notched a 6-1, 6-3 victory at the No. 5 position before Angela Georgieva made it four singles wins by a 6-0, 6-2 score. Sela closed out the near-perfect afternoon for UND with a 6-3, 7-6 triumph on the top court to close out the 6-1 match victory. 

"Creighton and Air Force will be tough challenges for us next weekend, but I know this team is hungry for the opportunity to play good teams."

North Dakota will remain home for another crucial showdown against Creighton at 1 p.m. from Choice Health and Fitness in Grand Forks.