SIOUX FALLS – The University of Sioux Falls Tennis Team, which has opened 4-0 for the first time at the NCAA DII level, will continue a six-game home stand with a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference matches, beginning with Minnesota State Moorhead on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. at Huether Family Match Pointe.   The Cougars will also host University of Mary on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 9 a.m.
 
The Cougars, directed by head coach Kevin Grebin (46-44, 28-28 in NSIC), will conclude a six-game home set next weekend against Bemidji State on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m.; and against Minnesota Crookston on Sunday, Feb. 25 at 9 a.m. On Feb. 9-10 at the Huether Family Match Pointe, the Cougars defeated Minnesota State, 6-3; and rolled to an 8-1 victory against Southwest Minnesota State as they opened 2-0 in NSIC play.

"We had a great start with a lot of people really playing well," said Grebin. "We look forward to this weekend with a couple of more home matchups against league teams. Our squad is very enthusiastic about the start and look forward to the challenge ahead. Although we are a young team, we have a group that continues to work very hard and that will be rewarded in match play," he said.

Jefferies earns NSIC Athlete of the Week honors
Redshirt freshman Chloe Jefferies, who has opened the season 4-0 at #1 singles, was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Week on Tuesday. Jefferies earned her first NSIC honor and just the second-ever by a USF Women's Tennis student-athlete. Joey Wenborg was honored on Feb. 29, 2016 as USF's first NSIC women's tennis POW. Led by Jefferies's stellar play, the Cougars, who are 2-0 and in first place in the NSIC, have opened 4-0 for the first time in the program's NCAA DII era. Jefferies of Clive, Iowa (West Des Moines Valley East HS) has opened her career with four straight wins at #1 singles and a 3-1 mark at doubles. Last weekend, she was 2-0 in singles and teamed with freshman Megan Quandt of Henderson, Nev., to go 2-0 at #1 doubles as USF defeated Minnesota State, 6-3, on Feb. 9 and Southwest Minnesota State, 8-1, on Feb. 10. Against the Mavericks, she defeated Erin Streeter, 7-6, 1-6, 14-12 and with Quandt defeated MSU's #1 doubles squad of Streeter and Monika Ryan, 9-7. Against SMSU's #1 Gabby Tellijohn, Jefferies captured a 6-2, 6-0 victory, winning the final 11 games of the match. With Jefferies/Quant took an 8-1 win at #1 doubles against SMSU's Tellijohn and Cora Delich. So far this season, Jefferies has won 45-of-59 games played at #1 singles. At #1 doubles, Jefferies and Quandt have opened 3-1 with just a 9-7 loss in the second match of the year. They have won 32-of-55 games in doubles.

Thorfinnson opens career 4-0 at #5 singles
As for Thorfinnson, she won 33-of-46 games with her 4-0 start to the season. Last weekend, she was 2-0 with a tiebreaker victory (6-4, 5-7, 10-5) against Minnesota State and a straight set 6-2, 6-1 win against SMSU. Thorfinnson has paired with freshman Lexi Miller to split four matches this season, going 1-1 in NSIC play.

At #3 singles, Miller has opened 2-2, including 2-0 in NSIC play. Interestingly Miller has play matches close this year with all four singles matches determined through tiebreakers. She won against MSU with a 6-4, 3-6, 10-8 decision and captured a 6-4, 1-6, 10-4 win against SMSU.

At #2 singles, Megan Quandt is 0-4 but has lost a pair of tie-breakers. However, she has teamed at #2 doubles with Jefferies to go 3-1.

At #4 singles, sophomore Kelsie Sanders has improved to 3-1 with a pair of NSIC wins last weekend. Sanders, who is 2-0 in NSIC play and has a career mark of 8-8 overall, 4-5 in the NSIC, has won three straight matches. After losing in a tiebreaker in the opener against Midland, she has won those three matches in straight set victories.  She has also teamed with freshman Rachel Klatt to go 4-0 at #3 doubles. They duo was 2-0 last weekend, including rallying from down 5-2 to win 9-8 vs. SMSU with a 7-4 decision in the tiebreaker.

At #6 singles, senior Cortney McCans was 1-1 and improved to 3-1 overall this season. McCans, who now has a 15-10 career record overall and 6-6 in league play, has split her NSIC matches this season.   

Team Notes – Cougars picked 8th in league
Overall, USF, which was picked to finish eighth in the NSIC preseason coaches' poll, is 16-8 in singles competition, including 9-3 in the NSIC while going 9-3 in doubles with a 5-1 league mark. The USF program, which has a .500 or better record in two of the last three seasons, has received the President's Award for Academic Excellence and earned two straight ITA All-Academic Team honors.

Opponent Breakdown – MSU Moorhead
USF's opponent on Friday, MSUM has opened 3-0 with a 6-3 decision over Minnesota Duluth on Feb. 11 and a 7-2 conquest of St. Cloud State on Feb. 10. They also have a 9-0 victory over Concordia Moorhead. They have won 14-of-18 games in singles with an 8-4 lead mark. They feature three unbeaten performers including Swenne Albert at 3-0 at #3 singles, Ricquel Ramsbottom at #5 singles and Alexis Konecne at 3-0 at #6 singles. The Albert/Konecne #2 doubles team is 3-0 as is Ramsbottom/Emma Zamora at #3 doubles. USF holds the all-time series lead (in the NSIC) of 3-2. A year ago on Feb. 19 in Bismarck, MSUM took a 5-4 decision over USF, which won twice at doubles and twice in singles. On Feb. 20, 2016, the Cougars defeated the Dragons, 5-4 with three wins at singles and two at doubles. USF also took a 5-4 decision in 2015 and an 8-1 verdict in 2013 but fell 5-4 to the Dragons in 2014.

Opponent Breakdown – U-Mary
On Saturday, the Cougars will host a 1-1 U-Mary squad, which opened with an 8-1 loss to Minnesota-Duluth on Feb. 10 in Fargo, N.D. They defeated St. Cloud State, 5-4 on Feb. 11. In the all-time series, the Cougars trail U-Mary, 3-2, but have won two straight matches. USF took a 6-3 decision on Feb. 18 at the Capital Racquet and Fitness Center in Bismarck a year ago with a 4-2 advantage in singles and 2-1 margin in doubles. USF took a 7-2 decision in 2015 in Sioux Falls. U-Mary won, 5-4, in 2014 and 6-3 in 2013 in Bismarck with a 5-4 win in the first NSIC matchup between the two teams in 2012.