The Valley City Hi-Liners girls tennis team delivered one of the best performances in program history Saturday at the Sheyenne Invite in Fargo, finishing tied for sixth place in the statewide tournament while setting a new school record with 21 total wins on the day.

The tournament featured six singles flights and three doubles flights, bringing together many of the top teams and players from across North Dakota.

Leading the way for Valley City were sisters Kailee and Skye Nielson, who captured the championship at No. 1 doubles for the second straight season. During the title run, Kailee Nielson also became the program’s all-time wins leader, earning the 153rd victory of her career to surpass former standout Reagan Ingstad’s previous record of 152 wins.

Skye Nielson also reached a milestone during the tournament, recording the 100th win of her career in the championship match.

The top-seeded Nielson sisters opened the tournament with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Bismarck High’s Haider and Schettler before rallying past Williston’s Tinklenberg and Heller 4-6, 6-2, 10-5 in the quarterfinals. They then defeated Dickinson’s Daley sisters 6-3, 7-6(3) in the semifinals before beating Minot’s Olson and Thuner 6-3, 6-3 in the championship match.

Georgia Zaun also made history for Valley City, becoming the first Hi-Liner to ever reach the semifinals of the No. 1 singles bracket at the Sheyenne Invite. Zaun opened with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Fargo North’s Isabelle McKay before defeating Williston’s Avy Ator 7-5, 6-2 in the quarterfinals, avenging a loss from last season’s state tournament.

“Georgia proved that she belonged today with the top players in the state,” Nielson said. “Her match against Avy showed excellent shot making, grit, mental fortitude, and a high tennis IQ.”

Zaun eventually fell to Minot standout Kyllie Fettig in the semifinals before finishing fourth overall.

At No. 3 singles, eighth grader Cambrie Westman continued her breakout season by also placing fourth. Westman won a pair of super tiebreakers to reach the semifinals, defeating Grand Forks Central’s Hailey Johnson and Horace’s Keeley Gilseth in dramatic fashion.

“Cambrie has been our queen of super tiebreakers this season,” Nielson said.

Lexi Svenningsen added another strong showing at No. 2 singles, winning her opening two matches before falling to West Fargo Sheyenne’s Avni Banerjee in the quarterfinals. She later pushed Minot’s Ella Sherven to a super tiebreaker in consolation play.

Valley City also received major contributions from its younger players.

Freshmen Chloe Liebersbach, Sophie Gilbertson, and Paige Tulp combined for nine wins in the lower singles flights. Liebersbach advanced to the consolation finals at No. 4 singles, while Tulp won four straight consolation matches at No. 6 singles before finishing runner-up in the consolation bracket.

“These three ninth graders are up-and-comers,” Nielson said. “They proved they are ready for the next step.”

At No. 2 doubles, Sara Beierle and Rylyn Johnson picked up an impressive opening-round win over a Minot team before battling Century and Grand Forks Central in tight matches later in the day.

Valley City will now prepare for another busy week with road duals against the Fargo South Bruins on Monday and the Horace Hawks on Tuesday. Wins in both matches would set up a showdown with Grand Forks Red River for the EDC regular season championship later in the week.

 

Sheyenne Invite Results

Valley City results listed first

No. 1 Singles — Georgia Zaun (4th place)

• Round of 16: defeated Isabelle McKay (Fargo North) 6-2, 6-3
• Quarterfinals: defeated Avy Ator (Williston) 7-5, 6-2
• Semifinals: lost to Kyllie Fettig (Minot) 6-3, 7-6(1)
• Third-place match: lost to Shayna Klitzke (Dickinson) 6-3, 6-2

No. 2 Singles — Lexi Svenningsen

• Round of 32: defeated Braelyn Peterson (West Fargo) 6-2, 6-3
• Round of 16: defeated Maya Haider (Bismarck High) 6-2, 7-6(3)
• Quarterfinals: lost to Avni Banerjee (West Fargo Sheyenne) 6-4, 6-2
• Consolation quarterfinals: lost to Ella Sherven (Minot) 4-6, 6-3, 10-7

No. 3 Singles — Cambrie Westman (4th place)

• Round of 32: defeated Stella Jorgensen (Williston) 6-2, 6-3
• Round of 16: defeated Hailey Johnson (Grand Forks Central) 6-4, 3-6, 10-7
• Quarterfinals: defeated Keeley Gilseth (Horace) 6-2, 2-6, 10-4
• Semifinals: lost to McKenna Odahlen (Minot) 6-4, 6-2
• Third-place match: lost to Kadence Syverson (Legacy) 6-3, 6-2

No. 4 Singles — Chloe Liebersbach

• Round of 16: lost to Alivia Sherven (Minot) 7-5, 6-4
• Consolation Round of 8: defeated Katelynn Hanig (Williston) 6-3, 6-2
• Consolation quarterfinals: defeated Emmalee Eriksmoen (Legacy) 6-3, 6-3
• Consolation semifinals: defeated Pilar Kobetsky (Red River) 6-3, 6-2
• Consolation finals: lost to Brynne Gadberry (Fargo North) 7-6(4), 7-5

No. 5 Singles — Sophie Gilbertson

• Round of 16: defeated Ella Horner (Bismarck Century) 7-5, 6-4
• Quarterfinals: lost to Eva Berg (Fargo North) 7-6, 6-3
• Consolation quarterfinals: defeated Brooklyn Feickert (Mandan) 7-6, 6-3
• Consolation semifinals: lost to Cameron Sandin (Shanley) 6-4, 6-4

No. 6 Singles — Paige Tulp

• Round of 16: lost to Morgan Kerzman (Bismarck High) 7-6(3), 6-2
• Consolation Round of 16: defeated Kaitlynn Wickoff (Dickinson) 6-3, 6-2
• Consolation Round of 8: defeated Bevin Schieve (Horace) 6-3, 6-2
• Consolation quarterfinals: defeated Samantha Mitchell (Fargo Davies) 6-4, 6-3
• Consolation semifinals: defeated Helen Heick (St. Mary’s) 6-4, 6-2
• Consolation finals: lost to Merryn Johnson (Fargo Davies) 6-4, 6-3

No. 1 Doubles — Kailee Nielson / Skye Nielson (Champions)

• Round of 16: defeated Haider/Schettler (Bismarck High) 6-4, 6-2
• Quarterfinals: defeated Tinklenberg/Heller (Williston) 4-6, 6-2, 10-5
• Semifinals: defeated Daley/Daley (Dickinson) 6-3, 7-6(3)
• Championship: defeated Olson/Thuner (Minot) 6-3, 6-3

No. 2 Doubles — Sara Beierle / Rylyn Johnson

• Round of 16: defeated McNichols/Bolton (Minot) 6-4, 6-3
• Quarterfinals: lost to Splonskowski/Roemmich (Bismarck Century) 6-4, 6-3
• Consolation quarterfinals: lost to Ault/Johnson (Grand Forks Central) 4-6, 6-4, 10-1

No. 3 Doubles — Alizabeth Nelson / Addie Tufte

• Round of 32: lost to Link/Prindiville (St. Mary’s) 6-4, 6-3
• Consolation Round of 16: lost to Dever/Monroe (Bismarck Century) 6-4, 6-2