A gut instinct paid off for Kentwood High girls tennis coach Ingrid Bakke.

Behind No. 2 doubles tandem Niki Skinner and Camille Madsen, the Conquerors turned back Kentridge 3-2 in a pivotal South Puget Sound League North Division tennis match Tuesday afternoon.

Skinner and Madsen provided the performance of the afternoon, overcoming Kentridge’s Kelsey Robson and Jazmine AhYat 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 in the final match of the day to seal the victory.

It was just the second time all season Skinner and Madsen have teamed up.

“I kind of had a good feeling about those two together today,” Bakke said.

With all eyes on the Kentwood duo, Skinner proved to be in a zone late in the match, overpowering the Chargers with a mix of power and precision.

The key to excelling in the pressure-packed situation was remaining focused, Skinner noted.

“I told Camille, ‘Stay focused. Stay in it and finish it off and not get too excited,'” Skinner said. “We started off strong, we just needed to finish strong.”

The win created more havoc in the race for the SPSL North title. Kentwood (9-3) and Kentridge (9-3) have been the frontrunners most of the season, but Auburn (10-3), thanks to consecutive wins over the Chargers and Conquerors, have now forced at least a three-team race with just a handful of matches remaining. Adding to the scenario is Tahoma (6-3), which still has several matches yet to be made up.

Kentridge got the better of Kentwood last week, 4-1.

Tuesday’s payback was critical, Kentwood’s Tess Manthou noted.

“We needed it pretty bad if we want to take the title,” she said.

Manthou, playing No. 1 singles, essentially got Kentwood going on Tuesday, dispatching Kentridge’s Vicky Tran 6-1, 6-2 in roughly 45 minutes.

Alyssa Nagai followed in No. 2 singles with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Beth Vanden Heuvel.

But Kentridge, which has spent the entire season in first place, didn’t go down easy. Katherine Melville and Kim Quach followed with a convincing win in No. 1 doubles, overcoming Kentwood’s Eliana Spero and Breanna Esber, 6-1, 6-2. Senta Venkatesh and Jocelyn Chang evened up the match in No. 3 doubles with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Kentwood’s Karin Hedlund and Aera Shin.

Add it up and it all came down to No. 2 doubles, which was nearing its final set when the other results trickled in.

“I don’t usually like (being in the spotlight) that much, especially when there’s that much pressure,” Madsen said. “I guess sometimes it helps because it makes you focus.”

Despite the loss, the race for the North crown remains anybody’s game, Kentridge’s Quach said.

“We’re still tied in first and we’re still alive for a league title,” she said. “We’ll have to fight for that No. 1 spot.”

Kentwood 3, Kentridge 2

No. 1 singles: Tess Manthou, KW, def. Vicky Tran, KR, 6-1, 6-0. No. 2 singles: Alyssa Nagai, KW, def. Beth Vanden Heuvel, 6-2, 6-1. No. 1 doubles: Kim Quach-Katherine Melville, KR, def. Eliana Spero-Breanna Esber, 6-1, 6-2. No. 2 doubles: Niki Skinner-Camille Madsen, KW, def. Kelsey Robson-Jazmine AhYat, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3; No. 3 doubles: Senta Venkatesh-Jocelyn Chang (KR) def. Karin Hedlund-Aera Shin, 6-1, 6-2.