GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- The University of North Dakota women's tennis team snapped a two-match losing streak and opening up conference play with a 5-2 victory over South Dakota on Sunday morning from Choice Health and Fitness in Grand Forks, N.D. 

"I told the team in our post-match meeting that the recent close losses we've suffered against good teams gave us great feedback, but it was up to us to use that feedback in a positive manner," said UND head coach Tom Boysen. "In today's match, I think we discovered our recipe for success -- we play with grit, we play with intelligence and we play without fear." 

UND (5-8, 1-0 Summit League) jumped out to a 1-0 lead on the doubles courts with a pair of wins on the No. 1 and 3 courts. The top duo of Sapir Sela and Andrea Jansson opened it up with a 6-4 victory, but South Dakota answered back with a 6-4 score of its own in the middle spot to turn all attention to the bottom position. There, Angela Georgieva and Jule Schulte battled for a 7-5 triumph to secure the two-person point for the hosts.

After her big win in doubles play, Georgieva carried that momentum into singles action to extend the lead to 2-0 with a 6-0, 6-2 victory from the No. 6 spot before the Coyotes cut the lead to 2-1. Schulte put the match in clinching position for the Fighting Hawks by notching a 6-3, 7-5 win at the fifth position. 

Nyah Kauders sealed the win for the green and white after rallying from a 6-2 loss in the opening frame to post back-to-back 6-3 scores over the final two frames on the top court and Jansson added the finishing touches on the 5-2 victory with a 7-6, 6-3 triumph from the No. 4 spot. 

"There were so many times in this match where our players played smart, tactically sound tennis even when it wasn't their normal game plan," said Boysen. "They were willing to do what it took to win THIS match on THIS day. I believe we matured as a group today and I can't wait to get back to practice on Tuesday." 

North Dakota remains home for another conference showdown against Oral Roberts next Saturday at 4 p.m. from Choice Health and Fitness. 

North Dakota 5, South Dakota 2 
Mar. 5, 2023 - Grand Forks, N.D. (Choice Health & Fitness)
A: 91 

DOUBLES RESULTS: 
Sela/Jansson (UND) def. Chadick/Alter (USD) - 6-4
Medvyedyeva/Bird (USD) def. Kauders/Heinitz (UND) - 6-4
Georgieva/Schulte (UND) def. Havlickova/Varma (USD) - 7-5

Order: 1, 2, 3

SINGLES RESULTS: 
Kauders (UND) def. Havlickova (USD) - 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
Medvyedyeva (USD) def. Sela (UND) - 6-3, 7-5
Chadick (USD) def. Heinitz (UND) - 7-6, 3-6, 6-2
Jansson (UND) def. Alter (USD) - 7-6, 6-3
Schulte (UND) def. Bird (USD) - 6-3, 7-5
Georgieva (UND) def. Varma (USD) - 6-0, 6-2

Order: 6, 2, 5, 1, 4, 3