The No. 4-ranked University of North Georgia (UNG) women’s tennis team secured its spot in the 2025 NCAA Division II Women’s Tennis Championship with a 4-0 sweep of No. 9 Columbus State (CSU) on Tuesday afternoon. The victory came during the Southeast Regional, hosted by North Georgia at the Duckworth Family Tennis Facility in Clemson, S.C., with support from Clemson’s tennis teams.
This was the third and final meeting between UNG and CSU this season. The Nighthawks completed the sweep of their Peach Belt Conference rivals, winning all three matchups.
For the second straight year, UNG will compete in the National Championship. Last season, the team reached the national semifinals for the first time in program history. Now, they aim to go even further.
After a historic 25-2 record last year, expectations were high. Yet, this year’s team still found a way to break new ground by defeating Columbus State three times in a single season.
“It’s always close with Columbus State. I’m surprised we managed to beat them three times,” said head coach Kent Norsworthy. “Evan Isaacs runs a great program, and I have a lot of respect for them.”
Norsworthy admitted the season started with challenges. The team had lost key players from the previous year, and early matches showed some struggles.
“Our first matches weren’t great. We weren’t clicking yet. But we kept working through March,” Norsworthy added.
Tuesday’s win began with doubles dominance. Freshman Linn Goerdes and junior Emily Bush secured a 6-2 win. Then, the ITA No. 7 duo of Angelina Linnikova and Carolina Reis clinched the doubles point with a 6-3 victory over CSU’s No. 5-ranked pair.
This win marked the 10th victory in 11 matches for Linnikova and Reis this season. Their success gave UNG a 1-0 lead and momentum heading into singles play.
In singles, senior Linnikova delivered a standout performance. Facing CSU’s Nikoline Gullacksen for the third time, she controlled the match from start to finish. With a 6-3, 6-1 win, Linnikova achieved a perfect 23-0 record this season, setting a new program record for most singles victories in a single year.
“Angie’s been our rock,” Norsworthy praised. “She put in the work last summer and fall to be where she is today.”
Linnikova now holds the UNG records for career singles wins and singles wins in a season, boasting a 61-6 record over three years. Her win put UNG ahead 2-0.
Next, Reis battled in the No. 5 singles match. After trailing 3-1 in the first set, she fought back to win 6-4. In the second set, she took an early 3-0 lead but faced resistance as her opponent tied it at 3-3. Reis regained control and sealed another 6-4 victory, pushing UNG’s lead to 3-0.
Freshman Vasilissa Kupriyanova then stepped up in the No. 3 singles match. In the first set, she dominated a tiebreaker by winning seven straight points. Riding that momentum, she built a strong 5-1 lead in the second set. Despite her opponent taking another game, Kupriyanova stayed composed. On match point, she forced an error from CSU’s Laura Pescikova, clinching the match and the team’s overall victory.
Her teammates rushed onto the court to celebrate. The three Nighthawks who were still in their own singles matches dropped their rackets and joined the celebration.
Kupriyanova’s win reflected the team’s identity—gritty, united, and determined. Every player on the team has contributed this season. All six primary singles players have at least nine wins, with five reaching double digits. Each has clinched a team victory at some point.
“We lost matches at No. 4 and No. 5 singles to CSU earlier this year. Today, we flipped those,” Norsworthy said. “It’s different players stepping up each time.”
With pride, Norsworthy concluded, “They just wanted to go on this trip, and that’s what made the difference.”
UNG will now prepare for the NCAA Division II Women’s Tennis Championship, marking only the second appearance in program history. The final 16 teams will compete from May 20-24 at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla. The Nighthawks will await the reseeding to learn their next opponent.
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