Ali Ramsley’s and Courtney Hayford’s match epitomized the entire match Monday between Owatonna and United South Central in Owatonna.

Ramsley and Hayford were the last match going 2 1/2 hours later with the teams tied at 3. Ramsley took the first set 6-4, but Hayford forced a third set with a 7-5 win in the second set. The third set went to a tiebreaker after Hayford took a 7-6 lead, but Ramsley couldn’t counter Hayford in the tiebreaker and fell 7-0 as Hayford gave Owatonna the decisive victory in a 4-3 win.

“Ali and Courtney battled and one would go up a game then the other would,” said USC girls’ tennis head coach Kim Stevermer. “They both played a great match and I am glad it came down to them.”

The other matches were just as close with both teams eking out victories. At No. 3 doubles Robin Stolach and Megan Chicos got a three-set victory with a 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 win over Carli Tellijohn and Larissa Voss. Rachel Mattick battled through a tough first set for a 7-5, 6-0 win to provide a win for the Rebels. Cami Christian and Brianna Schroeder got the other win for USC at No. 1 doubles with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Owatonna’s Rachel Arnott and Debbie Peterson.

USC finished seventh overall Saturday at the New Prague Invitational.

Minnetonka won the tournament with 40 points while Roseau took second and Glencoe-Silver Lake and New Prague tied for third.

“Usually we have a couple of more games under our belt before we go to this invite but due to a couple of rain out matches we only had one,” said Rebels head coach Kim Stevermer. “This invite was good for us because every girl was guaranteed three matches against good, hard-hitting teams.”

The No. 3 doubles team of Megan Chicos and Robin Stolach took second, falling to Minnetonka 6-3, 6-0 after beating New Prague 6-3, 6-3 (10-6) and Glencoe-Silver Lake 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).

“The third doubles duo of Robin Staloch and Megan Chicos played well together as a team and worked their way into the champion match,” Stevermer said.

The No. 2 doubles team of Megan Allis and Dani Roberts finished seventh at No. 2 doubles.

Cami Christian and Brianna Schroeder took fourth place and went 1-2 on the day, beating Orono, but falling to Roseau and New Prague.

Ali Wood took seventh place for the Rebels at No. 4 singles, while Rachel Mattick too third at No. 3 singles. Mattick won her first match 6-1, 6-1, lost in the semifinals 6-4,7-5 against Glencoe-Silver Lake, but beat Roseau 7-5, 6-1.

“I was impressed with her movement on the court and her determination,” Stevermer said of Mattick.

Katie Lorenz took sixth place, winning 6-1, 6-1 against Faribault in the consolation bracket.

Ali Ramsley took seventh place at No. 1 singles in the tournament. Ramsley won 6-1, 6-4 in the consolation bracket for seventh place.

“I thought everyone played well,” Stevermer said. “There were a lot of good metro schools there that we had some good points with.”

Owatonna 4, USC 3

Singles

No. 1 Courtney Hayford def. Ali Ramsley 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-0)

No. 2 Sarah McCann def. Katie Lorenz 6-3, 6-4

No. 3 Rachel Mattick def. Caitlin Hayford 7-5, 6-0

No. 4 Gabby Tellijohn def. Ali Wood 6-4, 6-2

No. 1 Cami Christan/Brianna Schroeder def. Rachel Arnott/Debbie Peterson 6-1, 6-1

No. 2 Alli Koehn/Briana Strohschein def. Megan Allis/Dani Roberts 6-4, 6-4

No. 3 Robin Staloch/Megan Chicos def. Carli Tellijohn/Larissa Voss 6-1, 5-7, 6-1