CHICAGO, Ill. - Webster University women's tennis team concluded its two-match road swing to the Chicagoland area here Saturday by posting a spectacular and dramatic 5-4 victory over North Park University at the Centre Court Athletic Club.

Saturday's match came down to the No. 3 singles match between Webster junior Sara Rice (Mahomet, Ill./Mahomet-Seymour) and NPU's Linn Viuhkonen to determine the winner of the non-conference match-up. Rice opened the match by posting a 6-4 win in the first set, before Viuhkonen rebounded to win the second set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-3). The match would come down to a third set tiebreaker for the overall win. Rice dug deep and played the best tennis of her life, ultimately, winning that tiebreaker and her match by a score of 10-8.

"I played the best I could have possibly played and was proud of my mental toughness with a very good opponent," said Rice following her 10th singles win of the season. "We all played amazing today, and I'm so proud of this team."

Rice's win at No. 3 singles helped improve Webster's record to 9-5 overall on the season, while North Park fell to 4-13 on the year.

From the moment doubles play began, both teams knew they were in for an exciting afternoon of tennis. At No. 1 doubles, senior Monica Behrle (Atlanta, Ga./East Paulding) and junior Madison Watts (Rogersville, Mo./Logan Rogersville) played a hard fought match against Vilde Olvin and Juviel Vinluan, before falling 8-6. Rice teamed up with freshman Maggie Federhofer (St. Louis, Mo./Lutheran South) to post an 8-3 win at the No. 2 spot, while seniors Jordan Struckman (O'Fallon, Mo./Francis Howell) and Robin Bolme (Smyrna, Tenn./Blackman) partnered at the No. 3 spot and fell 8-2 to Grace Pavlak and McKenzie Harrison.

Despite going into singles down 2-1, the Gorloks were determined to win the match as they won four of the six singles matches to rally for the victory. 

In singles action, Behrle posted a 6-2, 6-3 win over Olvin, while senior Jesse Steffens-Willis (St. Louis, Mo./Rockwood Summit) earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at the No. 4 spot over Linnea Love and Federhofer picked up an easy 6-2, 6-0 win over Katie Chleboun at the No. 5 spot.

North Park, though, would make things interesting as they picked up a win at the No. 2 spot after Watts had to retire due to injury and Bolme fell 6-1, 6-0 at the No. 6 spot to Pavlak to set up the match at the No. 3 spot. 

 
Webster will close out the 2018 regular season next Saturday, April 21 as they host Principia College in a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match at the Webster Groves Tennis Center. The match, which will mark Senior Day for Webster's four seniors, is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.