KEARNEY, Neb. -- Midwestern State provided Augustana (S.D.) a stern test in their match Saturday night at Ernest Grundy Tennis Center, but the Vikings escaped with a 4-2 victory over the Mustangs.

Augustana returns six women from last year's NSIC championship squad, led by Florentia Hadjigeorgiou, who was 20-0 in singles play last year and 16-4 in doubles.

Hadjigeorgiou and her doubles partner Senem Ocal are ranked No. 11 in the nation, but they were defeated at No. 1 doubles by Sydney Williams and Amelia Lawson as Midwestern State earned the doubles point. Alice Di Matteo and Kanaha Furutani breezed past Laura Arce Vieyra and Emily Granson at No. 3 doubles, 6-0.

Alexasandara Kistanova earned a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Alice Di Matteo at No. 3 singles as Augustana tied the match, 1-1.

Amelia Lawson pushed 11th-ranked Hadjigeorgiou to three sets at No. 1 singles by winning the opener in a tiebreak, 8-6. Hadjigeorgiou proceeded to win 12 of the next 13 games, and the Vikings held a 2-1 lead.

Hannah Yip also went three sets for the Mustangs at No. 2 singles but succumbed to Ocal, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Midwestern State stayed in the match as junior Skylar Minns from New Braunfels, Texas, dispatched Margarita Chouliara at No. 5 singles, 6-1, 6-2.

Garbiela Jancikova secured victory for the Vikings with a 6-4, 6-0 triumph over Micaela McSpadden at No. 6 singles. Augustana opens its campaign with a 1-0 record.

Midwestern State, which defeated MSU Denver earlier in the day, 4-1, is 1-2 to start the season and will host Southeastern Oklahoma at the MSU Tennis Center on Saturday. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m.
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