The Grand Forks Red River girls tennis team continued its winning streak in the East Region, beating Grand Forks Central 8-1. The match took place on Tuesday night at the Terry Paukert Tennis Complex.
Red River’s record improved to 7-1 this season. Their only loss was a close 5-4 match against West Fargo Sheyenne.
“We’re surprised in a good way,” said Red River coach Greg LaDouceur. “We have a lot of girls back from last year, but most aren’t proven. Addy Lommen is a strong player, but the rest are fairly even in skill. We’re an athletic team, and that gives us an edge.” 
Red River swept all three doubles matches. They had a tough three-set win at the top spot. In singles, Red River won five out of six matches. Lommen took the No. 1 singles match, while Ruby Schneider and others also performed well.
Hawi Lemu earned Central’s only point, winning at No. 2 singles in a third-set super tiebreaker. “Hawi has been steady all year,” said Central coach Tom Wynne. “She doesn’t get down on herself and plays better under pressure.”
The other singles matches were more one-sided. Red River’s Kalli Block, Naomi Rahman, and Irene Tang won in straight sets at No. 4, 5, and 6 singles.
LaDouceur credited the early doubles wins as a key factor. “Starting off with three doubles wins gives any team a huge boost,” he said. “We faced challenges in some singles but pulled through.”
Red River has three regular-season duals left: at West Fargo Horace, home against Mandan, and at Fargo Shanley. They are ready for a strong finish.
As they head into the postseason, LaDouceur feels confident. They will play three singles and two doubles matches. “We have flexible players who can play both singles and doubles. That gives us strategic options.”
Red River began the season with few returning stars. Still, they have become a strong contender in the East Region. “The region is pretty even,” LaDouceur said. “But I couldn’t be happier with our start.”
