SIOUX FALLS – The University of Sioux Falls Tennis Team battled hard to keep their NSIC Tournament hopes alive but fell to St. Cloud State, 6-3, on Saturday at the Huether Family Match Pointe.

Head Coach Kevin Grebin credited his team for staying focused, even as they dropped to 7-8 overall and 3-7 in NSIC play. With the victory SCSU clinched a berth in the NSIC Tournament, improving to 11-6 overall and 6-4 in league play.

I felt good about the way we played tonight," said Grebin. "We battled nearly every point but just came up on the short end. All season, we have improved due to our focus, hard work and mentality to fight for every point," he said.

USF will close the season with a match on Sunday morning against Minnesota-Duluth at the Huether Family Match Pointe at 9 p.m. It will be the last match at USF for seniors Abby Seigenthaler and Kara Bunkers.

Against SCSU, the Cougars jumped out to a 2-1 lead after Katie Bunkers and Abby Seigenthaler won a marathon match at #2 doubles, 9-8 (12-10). The victory improved the season record of Bunkers and Seigenthaler to 5-3. And, the two seniors, who have been playing on the same team since they were in 7th grade, have a 25-6 overall doubles mark. The Bunkers/Seigenthaler victory followed Cortney McCans and Kelsie Sanders 8-6 victory at #3 doubles.  In singles, several matches were tight but SCSU won crucial points for a 5-1 advantage.

However, USF's highlight was a strong performance at #1 singles by sophomore Kylie Simons. She stopped Abigail Kantor in another marathon match, taking the first set, 7-6 by winning the tie-breaker, 11-9. After falling 6-3 in the second set, Simons controlled the tie-breaking third set, 10-5. However Simons was the only USF singles play to pick up a win. Several others on USF battled before dropping their matches. Tianna Duda lost a tough decision at #2, falling 5-7, 6-3 and 10-3. At #3 singles, Bunkers fell to Fernanda Quintos dos Santos SCSU, 7-6 and 6-3.

Singles
#1 Kylie Simons (USF, 3-12, 2-8 NSIC) def. Abigail Kantor (SCSU) 7-6 (11-9), 3-6, 10-5
#2 Marilia Diversi Roque (SCSU) def. Tianna Duda (USF, 6-9, 3-7 NSIC) 5-7, 6-4, 10-3
#3 Fernanda Quintos dos Santos (SCSU) over Kara Bunkers (USF, 7-7, 5-5 NSIC) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
#4 Jill Kedrowski (SCSU) def. Abby Seigenthaler (USF, 8-6, 5-5 NSIC) 6-4, 6-0
#5 Alexie Portz (SCSU) over Kelsie Sanders (USF, 5-7, 2-5 NSIC) 6-2, 6-0
#6 Ann Marie White (SCSU) def. Marie Schmitz (USF, 2-5, 0-5 NSIC) 6-2, 6-1

Doubles
#1 Jill Kedrowski/Alexie Portz (SCSU) def. Kylie Simons/Tianna Duda (USF, 1-7, 0-4 NSIC) 8-3
#2 Kara Bunkers/Abby Seigenthaler (USF, 5-3, 2-2 NSIC) over Abigail Kantor/Marilia Diversi Roque (SCSU) 9-8 (12-10)
#3 Kelsie Sanders/Cortney McCans (USF, 2-2, 2-1 NSIC) def. Fernanda Quintos dos Santos/Sommer Kopff (SCSU) 8-6