VALLEY CITY, N.D. — A strategic doubles shuffle by West Fargo Sheyenne proved pivotal Thursday as Valley City dropped a 6-3 Eastern Dakota Conference matchup on its home courts.

“Sheyenne flipped up their doubles lineup, and that gave them the edge going into singles,” Hi-Liners head coach Matt Nielson said. “We couldn’t quite dig out of the 1-2 deficit.”

Despite the loss, Nielson praised his team’s energy, teamwork, and growth.

“Our kids had a blast playing with each other,” he said. “They gave 100% mentally and physically. They take feedback well and are improving individually and as a team.”

Looking to target the No. 1 and No. 3 doubles matches, the Hi-Liners were met with a new Mustangs pairing featuring Sarea Gu — the singles state title favorite — alongside Shireen Durrani, a defending doubles champion. Kailee and Skye Nielson battled in a hard-hitting contest, taking the pair to multiple deuce games but ultimately falling short.

“Skye and Kailee played amazing tennis,” Nielson said. “Several JV players were in awe of the level of play they witnessed.”

In singles, both Kailee and Skye faced tough opponents. Kailee delivered a strong performance at No. 3 singles, defeating Avi Banerjee 6-2, 6-2. Skye dropped her match to Gu but played with aggression throughout.

Georgia Zaun nearly pulled off a major upset against Durrani. After dropping the first set 6-2, Zaun adjusted her game, played consistently, and raced to a 5-0 lead in the second set. She took it 6-2 before narrowly losing in the super tiebreaker.

“If someone had told me one of our players would take a set off Shireen, I would’ve taken that deal,” Nielson said. “Georgia played great.”

Freshman Chloe Liebersbach picked up a solid win at No. 6 singles, executing her game plan perfectly to earn a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Annika Knodle.

“Chloe played the long game, stayed consistent, and moved her feet,” Nielson said. “It was a smart, composed performance.”

Sara Beierle and Lexi Svenningsen lost their singles matches but showed growth, especially Beierle, whose improved footwork stood out.

“Sara asked if it had warmed up because she was sweating so much,” Nielson said. “I told her, of course — she was working hard!”

In doubles, Zaun paired with first-year junior Rylyn Johnson for a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 3. Johnson, a three-sport athlete, impressed in her varsity debut.

“Rylyn has elite footwork and court awareness,” Nielson said. “She was fearless at the net and rallied from the baseline with confidence. Congrats on a great debut.”

With the loss, Valley City drops to 2-3 in EDC play. They will look to bounce back in their next match against Fargo Davies March 5th.

Results
West Fargo Sheyenne 6, Valley City 3

Singles

1. Sarea Gu (WFS) def. Skye Nielson 6-2, 6-2

2. Shireen Durrani (WFS) def. Georgia Zaun 6-2, 2-6, 10-5

3. Kailee Nielson (VC) def. Avi Banerjee 6-2, 6-2

4. Anna Mauch (WFS) def. Lexi Svenningsen 6-1, 6-1

5. Ashley Duffy (WFS) def. Sara Beierle 6-1, 6-3

6. Chloe Liebersbach (VC) def. Annika Knodle 6-3, 6-1

Doubles

1. Gu/Durrani (WFS) def. Nielson/Nielson 6-1, 6-1

2. Banerjee/Knodle (WFS) def. Svenningsen/Beierle 6-3, 6-0

3. Zaun/Rylyn Johnson (VC) def. Mauch/Kendall Burtnick 6-1, 6-2