Freshman Emma Roberts clinched a narrow 4-3 win for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks over South Dakota in a women’s tennis match on March 27 at Huether Family Match Pointe in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
The result moves North Dakota to a 12-7 overall record and keeps them undefeated in conference play at 3-0. The win also marks the team’s ninth consecutive victory.
North Dakota began the match strongly by winning the first two doubles matches. Alva Norberg and Andrea Pineda secured a 6-3 win from the middle position, while Roberts and Alyssa Giupponi added another 6-3 victory from the bottom court. The third doubles match featuring Ethel Li and Jule Schulte was left unfinished with a score of 4-4 after UND had already secured the doubles point.
In singles play, Ethel Li quickly won her match on court one with scores of 6-3, 6-1. Norberg followed with a win on court four, taking her match by scores of 6-1, 6-3 to put North Dakota ahead by three points. However, South Dakota responded by winning matches on courts three (6-3, 6-3), five (7-5, 6-3), and two (6-4, 6-2) to tie up the overall score at three apiece.
With everything coming down to court six, Roberts took an early lead by winning the first set but dropped the second set before dominating in the third set with a decisive score of 6–0 to secure victory for her team.
The Fighting Hawks are scheduled to return home for another conference matchup against Omaha at Choice Health & Fitness on Saturday, April 4 at 12:30 p.m.
