The University of Sioux Falls women's tennis team (0-2, 0-2 NSIC) dropped a hard fought match against Upper Iowa University by a score of 5-4, on Sunday morning at Sioux Empire Fitness in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Freshmen Abby Seigenthaler and Kara Bunkers (Sioux Falls/Roosevelt) earned their first collegiate victory at flight three doubles, trouncing the Peacock tandem of Morgan Winnie/Laura Alvarez by an 8-0 verdict. In addition, freshman Cassie Stanek (Sioux City) defeated Laura Alvarez 6-0, 6-1 in No. 6 singles for her first collegiate win.
“The girls played with a lot of heart today after the tough loss on Friday,” said tenth year head coach Kevin Grebin. “We put ourselves in position to win today in both singles and doubles matches, but just could not get the ball to land inbounds when we needed come crucial points.”
The Cougars trailed 2-1 after doubles play and found themselves in a 4-1 hole when Upper Iowa (2-2, 2-2 NSIC) posted wins in both first and second flight. USF would rally on the lower courts, with senior Molly Seigenthaler (No. 4, 7-5, 6-4), Morgan DeLange (No. 5, 6-3, 6-3) and Stanek (No. 6, 6-0, 6-1) earning wins to tie the match at 4-4.
The match came down to third flight singles, where Cougar sophomore Emily Erickson took set one from Victoria Kulbokas (6-4) before the Peacock freshman responded to take the second set (7-5). Both players refused to quit and Erickson saved multiple set points, but Kulbokas held on to win the third-set tie-breaker (11-9) and clinch the match for the Peacocks.
The Cougars will travel to Lincoln, Neb., next weekend for a pair of non-conference matches against Nebraska Wesleyan and William Jewell College.
Doubles:
#1: Saki Kawabata/Iris Verweij (U.I.) def. Joey Bosch/Stacey Beard 8-4
#2: Victoria Kulbokas /Kelly Jachymowski (U.I) def. Molly Seigenthaler/Emily Erickson 8-4
#3: Abby Seigenthaler/Kara Bunkers (USF) def. Morgan Winnie/Laura Alvarez 8-0
Singles:
#1: Saki Kawabata (U.I.) def. Joey Bosch 6-2,6-2
#2: Iris Verweij (U.I.) def. Beard 6-0,6-2
#3: Victoria Kulbokas (U.I.) def. Erickson 6-5,5-7,11-9
#4: Molly Seigenthaler (USF) def. Kelly Jachymowski 7-5,6-4
#5: Morgan DeLange (USF) def. Morgan Winnie 6-3, 6-3
#6: Cassie Stanek (USF) def. Laura Alvarez 6-0,6-1
