MIDDLEBURY – Warsaw girls tennis coach Rick Orban really needed a bounce back performance from his team Wednesday night.

He got it.

The Tigers turned in a strong effort to top host Northridge 3-2 in a key early season Northern Lakes Conference contest.

The match was a big one for Warsaw, which was coming off a 4-1 home loss to Plymouth in the league opener on Tuesday night.

“This was a big match for us and a big win for us,” said Orban. “It was good for us to bounce back from last night. Northridge beat Goshen 4-1 last night (Tuesday) and I told the girls that. I challenged them. I told them that they needed to do it tonight or we could be in trouble down the road in the NLC. It would have been real tough to start out 0-2 in the conference and try to win the regular season championship.”

Orban, whose team improved to 2-2 overall, saw a big improvement from the previous night.

“I liked the fact that we moved well tonight and we got to shots,” commented Orban. “I thought that we played a lot smarter tennis tonight.”

The Tigers quickly took a 2-0 lead over the Raiders with a pair of strong singles efforts. Sophomore Ella Knight started the winning with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Vanessa Rabern at No. 3 singles. Fellow sophomore Colette Smith then notched a 6-1, 6-2 win over Chase Kieper at No. 2 singles. Smith was the lone winner for Warsaw in the loss to the Pilgrims on Tuesday night.

“Ella played very good tonight and I was real pleased with her,” noted Orban. “Lettie played really well at No. 2 and our No. 1 doubles played a lot better tonight.”

Warsaw got the clinching point from its No. 1 doubles duo of sophomore Hannah Rice and junior Athena Schlitt. The duo topped Taylor Sellers and Mackenzie Kauffman 6-2, 6-3 for the third point.

The Raiders,  who rolled to four convincing straight set wins to down Goshen Tuesday night, got wins at No. 1 singles and No. 2 doubles. Kylie Frauhiger topped sophomore Liza Lewis 6-4, 6-4 at the top singles spot, while the duo of Jordan Kauffman and Victoria Oakes stopped sophomore Grace Miller and junior Chelsey Farling 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 at the No. 2 doubles position.

“Our play until the Plymouth match was what I had expected,” Orban said. “Hopefully, tonight goes a long way for our confidence. I know our strengths and our weaknesses and I saw a lot of our strengths tonight. These girls are talented and intelligent.”

Orban also offered that it was a good thing not to let his youthful team think too much prior to playing the Raiders.

“My suggestion was to get off the bus, do a quick stretch and warm up and get started tonight,” said Orban of his prematch strategy on a night that offered the threat of rain. “I did not want to let them over think it tonight.”

Warsaw took the junior varsity competition by a 6-1 count. Winning for the JV Tigers were Libby Jenkins and Sophia Parke in singles play. Also victorious for Warsaw were its doubles teams of Amy Herendeen and Jen Katris, Maddie Ray and Izzy Ray, Jasmine Baker and Regan Merchant and Sophia Schlitt and Rachel Yeager.

Warsaw continues its busy week by hosting a strong Fairfield team Thursday night. The Falcons, who are led by sensational sisters Emily and Morgan Mast at No. 1 and No. 2 singles respectively, are undefeated this Spring and went 18-2 and advanced to the State Finals in 2015. Senior Emily Mast has committed to play at Toledo University.

The Tigers will then host Fort Wayne Concordia on Friday.

Northridge, which is now 4-2 overall and 1-1 in the NLC, plays at NorthWood Monday and visits Wawasee Tuesday in conference action.