VALLEY CITY, N.D. — Valley City closed out the regular season Thursday with an 8-1 loss to Fargo Davies, but the Hi-Liners left the court with confidence and key highlights as they now turn their attention to postseason play.
“It was a fun day of tennis,” Hi-Liners head coach Matt Nielson said. “Our young men played the game of tennis and left it on the court.”
The doubles side provided Valley City’s bright spot as Matthew Holm and Colin Hoff rallied for their first EDC doubles win of the season. After splitting the first two sets, the pair fell behind 7-4 in the super tiebreaker before storming back to clinch a 4-6, 6-0, 10-8 victory.
“Matthew and Colin dropped the first set and then dominated the second 6-0,” Nielson said. “In the third set super tiebreaker, they fell behind but made their run.”
Other doubles teams pushed Davies in competitive stretches. Cole Haugen and Kellen Westman, playing together for the first time, were tied 5-5 in their opening set before eventually falling 7-5, 6-1. Meanwhile, Gray Kasowski and Beck Dietrich battled to extend rallies and limit Davies’ top player.
In singles, sophomore Andrew Hoff delivered the match of the day. After losing the first set 6-1, he bounced back with a dominant 6-1 second set to force a decisive third. His opponent adjusted, and Hoff fell just short in a 7-6(1) tiebreaker.
“Andrew executed the game plan to perfection in the second set,” Nielson said. “They battled the entire way. Andrew was two points away from victory, but his opponent had other ideas.”
At the top of the ladder, Quin Kruger and Haugen each played strong points against two of Davies’ best, while Kasowski once again showed resilience at No. 6, pushing his opponent to a first-set tiebreak.
In exhibition play, the Hoff brothers teamed up for a special one-time pairing, with senior Colin and seventh grader Andrew securing a doubles win together.
“My hope is that the time together is a memory they and their family will cherish,” Nielson said.
Valley City enters the postseason as the No. 8 seed and will host No. 9 Fargo South in a play-in match Monday at 4:30 p.m. at the north courts. The winner advances to the EDC tournament to face top-seeded West Fargo Sheyenne.
“Either way, we will have seven participants in the EDC individual tournament next Friday,” Nielson said. “We’re excited to keep competing.”
Results
Valley City always listed first
Fargo Davies 8, Valley City 1
Singles
Quin Kruger lost to Thor Cameron 6-2, 6-4
Cole Haugen lost to Brecken Metcalf 6-3, 6-1
Connor Liebersbach lost to Chase Johnson 6-1, 6-0
Andrew Hoff lost to Aksel Arndt 6-1, 1-6, 7-6(1)
Noah Tulp lost to Duncan Metcalf 6-0, 6-3
Gray Kasowski lost to Grayden Schultz 7-6(4), 6-3
Doubles
Haugen/Westman lost to Metcalf/Johnson 7-5, 6-1
Kasowski/Dietrich lost to Cameron/Netland 6-1, 6-0
Holm/Hoff defeated Metcalf/Schultz 4-6, 6-0, 10-8