VALLEY CITY, N.D. – The Valley City boys’ tennis team matched its Eastern Dakota Conference win total from the past three seasons combined Tuesday, defeating West Fargo 6-3 at home.
The victory gives the Hi-Liners their second EDC win of the season after recording just one in both 2022 and 2024.
Eighth graders Gray Kasowski and Beck Dietrich earned their first varsity victory in emphatic fashion, rolling to a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 3 doubles. “They kept the ball cross court and hit consistently from the baseline and at the net,” head coach Matt Nielson said.
The Hi-Liners’ top doubles duo of Quin Kruger and Kellen Westman rallied from a rough start to pull out a comeback victory at No. 1 doubles. After dropping the first set and trailing in the second, they fought off two match points before winning a tiebreaker and then carried that momentum into a 10-4 super tiebreak victory. Both players went on to cruise in singles play, with Kruger winning 6-1, 6-2 at No. 1 and Westman taking a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 3.
Cole Haugen also delivered one of his strongest performances of the year, blanking his opponent in the second set of singles for a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 2. “He played his most complete match of the year,” Nielson said. “Textbook tennis.”
At No. 5 singles, Noah Tulp extended his strong start to the season with a 6-3, 6-1 victory. “Noah’s play is unorthodox, but he figures out how to beat opponents and executes beautifully,” Nielson said.
Valley City will return to action Thursday at Grand Forks Red River.
Results
Valley City 6, West Fargo 3
Singles
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Quin Kruger, VC, def. Mason Ristvedt, 6-1, 6-2.
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Cole Haugen, VC, def. Riley Kleven, 6-0, 6-2.
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Kellen Westman, VC, def. Carsten Lawrence, 6-4, 6-2.
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Nash Reisenauer, WF, def. Colin Hoff, 6-1, 5-7, 7-4.
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Noah Tulp, VC, def. Pato Herrera-Grant, 6-3, 6-1.
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Miles Scholand, WF, def. Connor Liebersbach, 6-3, 6-3.
Doubles
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Kruger/Westman, VC, def. Ristvedt/Kleven, 4-6, 7-6(9), 10-4.
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Lawrence/Herrera-Grant, WF, def. Haugen/Liebersbach, 6-7(6), 6-0, 10-8.
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Kasowski/Dietrich, VC, def. Reisenauer/Scholand, 6-2, 6-1.