Sartell, Minn. --  The Minnesota State women’s tennis team earned a 5-4 victory over Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference rival St. Cloud State Thursday evening.  The Huskies had entered the match ranked sixth in the first edition of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Central Region Rankings.

St. Cloud State staked a 2-1 lead after the three doubles matches as freshman Laura May and junior Hailey Robb picked up MSU’s lone win at the #3 flight, 9-8 (10-5).

The Huskies opened singles play with a 6-3, 7-5 win at the #3 flight before MSU scored its second point of the night when junior Kathryn Gavin  earned a 6-4, 6-3 win at the #1 flight.  SCSU then scored its fourth and final point of the night at the #2 flight when Katie Kotschevar downed junior Brandi Dohmen, 6-4, 6-0.

May would give MSU its third point of the night with a 6-4, 7-5 win at the #5 slot while freshman Shealyn Bakke tied the match at four with a 6-1, 2-6, 7-5 win at the #4 slot.  Robb then sealed the victory with a 6-4, 6-1 at the #6 flight.

Minnesota State (5-2, 3-0 NSIC) returns to action March 5, when it travels to Florida for a four-match swing.  The Mavericks open play against College of New Jersey (11:30 a.m., EST) and Grand Valley State (6 p.m. EST) on the fifth.