ST. PAUL, Minn. – The University of Northwestern St. Paul Women's Tennis team closed out their regular season with a thrilling 5-4 victory over Hamline University on Thursday night.

The match went down to the wire as the Eagles and Pipers were tied at 4-4 with only the #3 singles match remaining. Jessica Gross (Woodbury, Minn./New Life Academy) won the opening set 7-5, then fell in the second 6-2. The senior proceeded to battle back and win the super tiebreaker 10-3 to clinch the match-winning fifth point for Northwestern.

The match opened with the Pipers winning two of three doubles matches. Belinda Weddle (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) and Taylar Smith (Litchfield, Minn./Litchfield) won their #1 doubles match 8-4 to open the day, but Hamline took a 2-1 lead going in to singles by winning the #2 and #3 matches.

The Pipers got their third team point with a win at the #1 singles match to go up 3-1. The Eagles rallied, winning the next three matches to pull ahead 4-3. Smith won her #4 match in straight sets 6-2, 6-2. Belinda Weddle (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) rallied down a set to win the second 6-4 and then the super tiebreaker 10-7 at the #2 singles match to even the score at 3-3. Sabrina Bush (White Bear Lake, Minn./White Bear Lake) then completed a rally of her own at #6 singles, winning the second set 6-3 to even the match at a set each before taking the super tiebreaker 10-6.

Hamline stayed alive by winning the #5 singles match, but Gross won her #3 match afterwards to close out the match with a UNW victory.

Up next for Northwestern is the start of the UMAC Tournament on Wednesday, May 5, as the Eagles will host the winner of the quarterfinals match in the semifinal round.