MINNEAPOLIS – It all came down to the No. 3 singles match where Mackenzie Novak took it in a tiebreaker to give the Bethel University women's tennis team a 5-4 victory over St. Thomas Tuesday evening at the Baseline Tennis Center.

The win gives the Royals their first ever program win over UST on the women's side . As the nation's 38th-ranked team, Bethel improves to 17-3 on the year and 7-1 in league play which puts them third in the MIAC standings.

Grace Riermann and Maggie Riermann started out the match taking No. 1 doubles 8-4. Sydney Rott and Meghan Schuler won at No. 3 doubles 8-2 to give Bethel a 2-1 lead heading into singles play.

Grace Riermann led in the opening set of the No. 1 singles match 4-2 before Olivia Paradise was forced to retire. Maggie Riermann had to go the distance in the No. 2 singles match winning it in a third set tie breaker. Maggie took the opening set 6-4 before dropping the second 4-6. Riermann came out on top in the tiebreaker 10-6.

Rott and Schuler both dropped their matches by scores of 4-6, 2-6 while Jill Weinzettel fell in three sets 6-3, 1-6, 5-10.

It all came down to Novak who dropped the opening set 2-6. She battled in the second where it was 4-4 before rallying to take it 7-5 and force the tiebreaker. Novak saved two match points to win and take it 13-11 giving Bethel the victory.