Box Score SIOUX FALLS – Suffering their first loss of the season, University of Sioux Falls Women's Tennis dropped a 7-2 decision against MSU Moorhead on Saturday night. The Cougars fell behind 3-0 after doubles competition and the Dragons earned a 4-2 edge in singles play to seal the team victory. USF falls to 4-1 on the season with a 2-1 mark in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference competition, while MSUM improves to 4-0 on the season, 3-0 in the NSIC. The Cougars welcome University of Mary to Huether Family Match Pointe for a 9 a.m. match on Sunday, Feb. 18.
 
"The score doesn't indicate how I felt we competed," head coach Kevin Grebin said. "We fought extremely hard in all the matches and lost to a very talented team. We are very young and I am able to walk away knowing that this team is willing to fight every point. That's how this season is going to be; we are going to face some tough competition and I know these women will continue to fight."
 
USF's No. 2 doubles pairing of Joelle Thorfinnson and Lexi Miller showed plenty of fight their coach expressed, battling despite an 8-4 defeat. No.1 doubles pairing of Chloe Jefferies and Megan Quandt were handed an 8-2 loss and USF's third doubles pairing of Kelsie Sanders and Rachel Klatt couldn't earn the Cougars a doubles point with an 8-1 loss.
 
In single, Jefferies recorded USF's first team point of the match, winning in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, at the No. 1 singles position. Miller provided the next Cougar point with a marathon three-set victory. After dropping the first set, Miller forced a third with a win in the second-set tiebreaker. The Mankato, Minn. native then outlasted her opponent in the third-set super tiebreaker for a 1-6, 7-6 (5), 13-11 victory.
 
Grebin was quick to point out that all of his players fought each point and singled out his freshman No. 2 singles player despite the lopsided defeat. Quandt suffered a 6-0, 6-1 defeat at the No. 2 spot, but continues to show promise early in her career. At No. 4 singles, Sanders dropped a straight-set decision, 6-0, 6-0, for the first time in her career against NCAA Division II competition.
 
Thorfinnson battled at No. 5 singles, but came up short in two close sets. After dropping the first set in a tiebreaker, Thorfinnson suffered a late break to fall 7-6 (5), 7-5. In the sixth singles match, Cortney McCans shook off a first set defeat to push the second into a tiebreaker, but she eventually succumbed to her MSUM counterpart, 6-0, 7-6 (5).
 
Singles
1. Chloe Jefferies (USF) def. Julia Geske (MSUM) 6-4, 6-1
2. Olivia Keelin (MSUM) def. Megan Quandt (USF) 6-0, 6-1
3. Lexi Miller (USF) def. Alyssa Wolf (MSUM) 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 13-11
4. Ricquel  Ramsbottom (MSUM) def. Kelsi Sanders (USF) 6-0, 6-0
5. Alexis Konecne (MSUM) def. Joelle Thorfinnson (USF) 7-6 (7-5), 7-5
6. Emma Zamora (MSUM) def. Cortney McCans (USF) 6-0, 7-6 (7-5)
 
Doubles
1. Geske/Keelin (MSUM) def. Jefferies/Quandt (USF) 8-2
2. Konecne/Wolf (MSUM) def. Thorfinnson/Miller (USF) 8-4
3. Ramsbottom/Zamora (MSUM) def. Sanders/Rachel Klatt (USF) 8-1