Tennis | 3/1/2020 1:03:00 PM
BISMARCK, N.D. — The Minnesota State University Moorhead women's tennis team survived its toughest test of the season on Sunday with a 4-3 win over Minnesota Duluth in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action at Capital Racquet and Fitness in Bismarck, N.D.
MSUM is now 9-0 overall and 8-0 in the NSIC and remains tied with Augustana for first in the league. UMD fell to 6-4 overall and 4-4 in the league.
The Dragons won the team doubles point, thanks to wins at No. 1 and No. 3. Junior
Julia Geske and senior
Olivia Keelin defeated Sophie Lynch and Natalie Cahill, 7-6 (7-2) at No. 1, while sophomore
Jalyn Kornblum and junior
Lorissa Yuen won 6-0 over UMD's Elsa Erickson and Mallory LIthun at No. 3.
The teams split the six singles matches. Geske continued to roll along with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Megan Anderson at No. 1 while Yuen defeated Lynch, 6-3, 6-1 at No. 2. Konecne was the clincher for MSUM at No. 4 singles, surviving Emily Rahrik, 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2 tiebreaker).
"We knew we would be tested today so that was no surprise," MSUM head coach
Oliver Summers said. "It's tough to play a team where their strength is in the middle to bottom of their lineup. Doubles was huge as was Alexis's win to clinch the match."
MSUM lost a close match at No. 3 singles and Kornblum lost a three-set heartbreaker to Lithun at No. 5.
The Dragons will venture out of NSIC play for their next three matches, which will take place in California on March 10-12. They start with a match vs. El Camino College on March 10.
MSUM 4, UMD 3
Doubles
No. 1-
Julia Geske/
Olivia Keelin (MSUM) def. Sophie Lynch/Natalie Cahill, 7-6 (7-2)
No. 2-Megan Anderson/Isabel Thiner (UMD) def.
Emma Wood/
Alexis Konecne, 6-2
No. 3-
Jalyn Kornblum/
Lorissa Yuen (MSUM) def. Elsa Erickson/Mallory Lithun, 6-0
Singles
No. 1- Geske (MSUM) def. Anderson, 6-2, 6-3
No. 2-Yuen (MSUM) def. Lynch, 6-3, 6-1
No. 3-Cahill (UMD) def.
Rachel Nguyen, 6-4, 7-5
No. 4-Konecne (MSUM) def. Emily Rahrik, 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2)
No. 5-Lithun (UMD) def. Kornblum, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
No. 6-Thiner (UMD) def.
Emma Andersen, 6-2, 6-4
