Augustana captured the final two singles matches to defeat Winona State 5-4 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference women's tennis action Sunday in Minneapolis, Minn.
The Vikings improved to 14-0 on the season. Augustana also moved into sole possession of first place in the NSIC with a 7-0 record. Winona State slipped to 6-5 overall and 3-2 in the NSIC.
Augustana, ranked No. 10 in the Central Region, grabbed a 2-1 lead after doubles play. At No. 2 doubles,
Michelle Wadas and
Hannah Gebauer slipped past WSU's Amanda Asche and Laura Lindstrand 9-8 after winning a tiebreaker by a 10-8 score.
The Vikings' other doubles win came at No. 3 doubles where
Emily Johnson and
Gabrielle Kachena defeated Addison Adler and Laura Roesslein 8-1.
The two teams each won three singles matches. Winona State, ranked seventh in the region, took a 4-3 lead after the first four singles matches were completed. But the Vikings won the last two matches to earn the victory.
At No. 4 singles,
Jill Hagestuen edged Mary Hesterman 6-4, 6-4 to tie the dual 4-4. Johnson then secured the win by beating Adler 6-3, 6-4. Augustana's remaining singles win came from Gebauer, who routed Lindstrand 6-0, 6-1.
Augustana's next action will be Friday, April 9, when the Vikings entertain St. Cloud State, the other unbeaten team in NSIC play, in a 6 p.m. dual at Sioux Empire Fitness.
Augustana (S.D.) 5, Winona State 4
Singles competition
1. Pierce, Heather (WSU) def. Gaster, Brittany (AUGIE) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
2. Asche, Amanda (WSU) def. Wadas, Michelle (AUGIE) 7-5, 7-6 (7-4)
3. Gebauer, Hannah (AUGIE) def. Lindstrand, Laura (WSU) 6-0, 6-1
4. Hagestuen, Jill (AUGIE) def. Hesterman, Mary (WSU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Dubbelde, Katelyn (WSU) def. Conley, Adrienne (AUGIE) 6-4, 6-2
6. Johnson, Emily (AUGIE) def. Adler, Addison (WSU) 6-3, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Pierce, Heather/Hesterman, Mary (WSU) def. Gaster, Brittany/Conley, Adrienne (AUGIE) 8-2
2. Wadas, Michelle/Gebauer, Hannah (AUGIE) def. Asche, Amanda/Lindstrand, Laura (WSU) 9-8 (10-8)
3. Johnson, Emily/Kachena, Gabrielle (AUGIE) def. Adler, Addison/Roesslein, Laura (WSU) 8-1
