SIOUX FALLS – The University of Sioux Falls Tennis Team, which has opened 2-0 for the second straight season, will open Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference competition with a pair of home matches against Minnesota State (1-2) at 6:30 p.m., on Friday, Feb. 9 and Southwest Minnesota State (2-1, 0-0 NSIC) at 7 p.m., on Saturday, Feb. 10 at the Huether Family Match Pointe.
The Cougars, directed by head coach
Kevin Grebin (44-44, 26-28 in NSIC), will begin a six-match home stand at the Huether Family Match Pointe as they also host MSU Moorhead on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 6 p.m.; University of Mary, Sunday, Feb. 18, 9 a.m.; Bemidji State, Saturday, Feb. 24, 6 p.m.; and Minnesota Crookston, Sunday, Feb. 25, 9 a.m.
"We had a solid start to the season with the two nonconference wins," said Grebin. "We look forward to kicking off the NSIC season at home. Our squad is very enthusiastic about the chance to get the NSIC season underway. 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, Thorfinnson, McCans open 2-0 for USF
Led by three players with 2-0 records, the Cougars defeated Midland, 5-4; and College of St. Mary's (Neb.), 6-3, on Feb. 3 in Fremont, Neb. In their first collegiate competition
Chloe Jefferies at #1 and
Joelle Thorfinnson at #5 singles opened 2-0 with straight set victories. Jefferies did not lose a game in winning both matches, 6-0, 6-0, and 24 straight game wins. As for Thorfinnson, she won 24-of-32 games. At #6 singles, senior
Cortney McCans also had a pair of straight set wins, capturing 24-of-33 match games. She now stands 14-9 in her career. Sophomore
Kelsie Sanders, who is now 6-8 (2-5 NSIC) in her career, opened 1-1 at #4 singles. Freshman
Megan Quandt at #2 singles and
Lexi Miller at #3 singles, opened 0-2, dropping a pair of close matches.
In doubles, USF's #1 team of Jefferies/Quandt and #2 doubles squad of Miller and Thorfinnson both opened 1-1. At #3 doubles, Sanders and freshman
Rachel Klatt opened 2-0.
Overall, USF, which was picked to finish eighth in the NSIC preseason coaches' poll, is 7-5 in singles competition and 4-2 in doubles play through two matches. 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 – Minnesota State
USF's opponent on Friday, Minnesota State has opened 1-2 with an 8-1 setback to Bethel College and a 7-2 victory over Northwestern College at Owatonna, Minn. In the fall, MSU, which has been picked to finish 5th in the NSIC preseason coaches' poll, lost an 8-1 decision to St. Thomas. To this point, MSU, which will face Augustana on Saturday, is 6-15 in singles and 3-7 in doubles. In the series with MSU, the Cougars have a 2-3 mark, including a 5-4 wins in both 2014 and 2016. MSU defeated USF, 9-0, in 2017, 6-3 in 2015 and 9-0 in 2013.
Opponent Breakdown – Southwest Minnesota State
On Saturday, the Cougars will host a 2-1 SMSU squad. The Mustangs, which faces Augustana on Feb. 11 in Sioux Falls, have a 7-2 loss to Missouri Western and wins over Ripon College, 9-0; and Wisconsin-Stout, 6-3. In the all-time series in the NSIC, USF has a 5-0 series lead, including a 7-2 decision a year ago. The Cougars recorded 9-0 verdicts in 2014, 2015, and 2016 with another 7-2 result in 2013.
