VALLEY CITY, N.D. — The Valley City Hi-Liners leaned on lineup strategy, mental toughness, and smart tennis Friday to notch two tight 3-2 wins over Dickinson and Mandan in a home doubleheader.
Match 1: Valley City 3, Dickinson 2
With Dickinson boasting a strong top singles player in Shayna Klitzke, the Hi-Liners focused their lineup on targeting winnable points in the middle and back end. The plan worked to perfection.
Kailee Nielson breezed through No. 2 singles 6-1, 6-0 as expected, while Chloe Liebersbach delivered in the clutch at No. 3 with a 10-6 super tiebreak win after splitting sets. Skye Nielson and Sara Beierle then sealed the dual at No. 1 doubles, overcoming a close first set before dominating the second 6-1.
“Chloe’s match was exactly what we needed,” said head coach Matt Nielson. “She stayed composed and played confident tennis in the tiebreak. And Skye and Sara came up huge in doubles — their second set was lights out.”
Georgia Zaun battled Klitzke in a high-level No. 1 singles matchup, showing aggressive footwork and belief, but came up just short in a 6-4, 6-3 loss.
Match 2: Valley City 3, Mandan 2
Facing a different challenge against Mandan, the Hi-Liners rolled out top singles talent in Skye, Georgia, and Kailee, expecting their strength up top to counter Mandan’s strong doubles teams.
Again, the prediction played out. Kailee and Georgia each won comfortably at No. 2 and 3 singles, and Skye Nielson closed the match with a composed 6-1, 6-3 win at the top spot, despite a small hiccup late in the second set.
“Skye was in control from the start, and even when the momentum shifted briefly, she stayed steady and finished strong,” said Coach Nielson. “That match showed her maturity.”
Though the Hi-Liners fell short in both doubles contests, the focus and execution from the singles squad carried the team to its second win of the day.
Looking Ahead
Valley City now sits at 5-1 in its last six duals, heading into the Sheyenne Invitational Saturday morning in Fargo. With regionals just around the corner, the team appears to be peaking at the right time — mentally sharp, strategically flexible, and physically ready.
Results: Valley City 3, Dickinson 2
Singles
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Georgia Zaun lost to Shayna Klitzke 6-4, 6-3
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Kailee Nielson def. Natalie Delange 6-1, 6-0
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Chloe Liebersbach def. Samantha Hauck 7-5, 3-6, 10-6
Doubles
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S. Nielson/Beierle def. Daley/Dayley 6-4, 6-1
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Svenningsen/Johnson lost to Dazell/Jenson 6-4, 6-1
Results: Valley City 3, Mandan 2
Singles
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Skye Nielson def. Ellie Thomsen 6-1, 6-3
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Georgia Zaun def. Annika Peterson 6-0, 6-3
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Kailee Nielson def. Hailey Intveld 6-2, 6-0
Doubles
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Svenningsen/Beierle lost to L. Thomsen/Katzung 6-2, 6-1
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Liebersbach/Johnson lost to Benz/Edland 6-1, 6-4