2 mins read

Coyote tennis team top Summit League rival North Dakota 5-2

The Coyotes took to the tennis court on April 1 to take on Summit League rival North Dakota. The last time these two teams played, UND took the win 5-2. 

UND took the first doubles matchup against juniors Berta Girbau and Eesha Verma 6-2.

The Coyotes’ second match was a combination of fifth-year seniors Jana Lazarevic and Habiba Aly where they took down UND 6-4. Lazarevic and Aly were down 1-4 until they won the final five games. 

The Coyotes won the third and final doubles match consisting of senior Natka Kmošková and freshman Bea Havlickova. They finished the match 7-5. 

Aly was back in action for the first singles match against UND’s sophomore Sapir Sela. Aly took down Sela 6-1 and 6-3. That moved Aly to 4-1 overall in ‘#1 Singles’ during Summit League play. These wins for Aly moves her into sixth place for most wins in school history. 

The second match in singles was between Coyote Kmošková and Fighting Hawk freshman Lucia Rizza. Kmošková won the sets 6-3, 6-0 moving her record to 3-1 in the Summit League. 

USD dropped the next two matches as redshirt junior Estella Jaeger fell to UND’s senior Allie Ochotorena in two sets due to Jaeger retiring in the third set. The second match had Havlickova fall in three sets 6-4, 2-6 and 6-2. 

USD bounced back to win the next two matches against the Fighting Hawks. 

Girbau won the first one, taking down UND junior Angela Georgieva in three sets 6-2, 2-6 and 6-4. This match was Girbau’s spring debut at South Dakota.

Lazarevic won the final match against UND junior Andrea Jansson in three sets 7-5, 4-6 and 6-4. This win for Lazarevic moves her to 5-0 in ‘#2 Singles’ in Summit League play. It also moves her to be tied for the fourth-most wins in school history.  

The Coyotes’ record jumps up to 8-11 this season which is the most since the 2017-2018 season where they went 10-12. Their league record also adds a win making them 3-2 in the Summit League. That record has made them tied for third place with North Dakota. 

USD’s next match will be against St. Thomas. The Tommies currently sit at 1-4 in the Summit League which is seventh place. The matches will be on April 9 beginning at 11 a.m.