GRAND FORKS, N.D. – North Dakota women's tennis took the first four points on the afternoon to cruise its way to a dominating 5-2 conference win over Kansas City on Friday inside Choice Health and Fitness.
 
The Fighting Hawks got started early in doubles play as Ethel Li and Jule Schulte lit it up from the top position for a stifling 6-1 victory. Alyssa Giupponi and Emma Roberts clinched the 1-0 lead for UND off a strong 6-4 showing from the No. 3 position to put the home team ahead. At the middle court, Alva Norberg and Andrea Pineda's match went unfinished, tied 5-5.
 
Schulte's domination continued into one-on-one competition as she ran away with a 6-0, 6-3 win from the No. 2 court. North Dakota's lead extended to 3-0 off a dominating mirrored performance from Giupponi that ended in a pair of 6-2, 6-2 wins from the No. 5 spot. And soon enough, it was Li who clinched the team win. The senior fought off early deficits at the top court to rally back for a 6-4, 6-3 win.
 
Though the team win was firmly secured for North Dakota, the Roos rallied back with two wins. It came in the form of a 6-4, 6-4 win from the sixth spot and a 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5) from the fourth spot.
 
But the Fighting Hawks were not yet done.
 
All eyes turned to the No. 3 court where the final bout of action was still alight. Pineda dropped her first set 3-6 before turning up the heat and flipping the momentum in the second set for a 6-3 win. Now facing a winner-takes-all super tiebreak, Pineda was locked into an all-out battle. A 7-6 lead for the senior quickly blossomed into a 10-6 advantage for the 1-0 victory.
 
The North Dakota women return to action on the road next Friday, March 27 down in Vermillion, S.D. for a 12 p.m. match against South Dakota.

For more information on North Dakota women's tennis, visit FightingHawks.com or follow on social media @UNDwtennis.