SIOUX FALLS – The University of Sioux Falls Tennis Team (3-3, 3-3 NSIC), which has won three of their last four matches, will host rival Augustana (8-0), St. Cloud State (2-5, 2-4 NSIC) and Minnesota Duluth (7-1, 4-1 NSIC) in a trio of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference match ups beginning on Friday (March 1) and ending on Sunday (March 3) at the Huether Family Match Pointe Complex.
 
USF will face the undefeated NSIC preseason favorites Augustana on Friday, March 1 at 6:30 p.m. The Cougars will then compete against SCSU on Saturday, March 2 at 6:30 p.m., and will wrap up the weekend on Sunday (March 3) morning with a match against UMD at 8:30 a.m.
 
Last time out
USF, which won a pair of singles matches, dropped a hard-fought decision to Winona State, 5-2, on Friday, Feb. 23. USF picked up three wins in singles and added the doubles point with conquests in two of the three matches in that segment as they defeated Upper Iowa, 4-1, on Saturday (Feb. 24).
 
Opponent Breakdown
Augustana leads the NSIC with a 6-0 conference record (8-0 overall). The Vikings extended their conference win-streak to 105 games over the weekend and their seasonal winning-streak to eight games. They improved to 42-1 in singles action and 21-1 in doubles action overall on the season. In NSIC action, the Vikings brought their singles record to 31-0 and their doubles record to 16-0. Six-of-the-seven players are currently undefeated in singles action and five-of-the-seven players are currently undefeated in doubles action on the season.
 
SCSU sits tied for eighth in the NSIC standings with a 2-4 conference record and a 2-5 record overall. In the all-time series at DII, USF trails SCSU, 4-3. A year ago, USF rolled to a 6-3 decision behind dominant singles play. SCSU took a 6-3 win on April 8, 2017, then in the 2016 season, SCSU defeated USF, 8-1 before the Cougars rebounded with a 5-2 win at the NSIC Tourney to advance to the league tourney semifinals for the first time. In 2015, USF ended a two-match losing streak to the Huskies with a 9-0 win. SCSU won 6-3 in 2014 and 8-1 in 2013.
 
On Sunday, the Cougars will host UMD, directed by second-year coach Jessica Worden, whose team is having a solid season with a 7-1 mark overall and 5-1 in league play for fourth place. The Bulldogs have won three straight matches and stand 3-0 at home. The Bulldogs have a big weekend ahead with matches against both USF and Augustana on March 2 and 3. In the all-time series with USF, the Cougars own a 4-3 lead. A year ago, USF fell to the Bulldogs, 6-3 to end their two-match winning streak that USF held. The Cougars registered 8-1 wins in both 2016 and 2015, won 9-0 in 2014 and 8-1 in 2013. In the first match as NSIC foes, UMD captured a 7-2 decision.
 
USF picked fifth in NSIC Preseason Poll
After one of its most successful seasons (11-7 overall, 7-4 in the NSIC) in 2017-18 at the DII level, USF was picked fifth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll. Redshirt sophomore Chloe Jefferies was named the "Player to Watch" for USF.  This season the Cougars have opened with a 16-16 overall singles mark and stand 8-9 in doubles in the six NSIC matches.
 
Individual Notes
Redshirt sophomore Chloe Jefferies, who put together the best season by a USF Women's Tennis player in the NCAA DII era with a 14-3 mark and 10-1 in the NSIC, has opened 2-2 with a pair of close losses. She is also 2-2 in league play. She stands 16-5 overall and 12-3 all-time in NSIC play in her career at USF.
 
At No. 2 singles, sophomore Megan Quandt is 2-3 after winning in three sets against Bemidji State. She is now 4-19 in her career and 3-13 in league play.
 
At No. 3 singles, sophomore Lexi Miller is 0-4 on the season (0-4 in NSIC play) and now has a 9-12 overall mark with a 7-8 NSIC record. 
 
Newcomer Victoria Ambrosia-Cueto opened her career with a three-set victory against U-Mary to move to 1-0 at No. 4 singles. Last weekend she went 1-1 to move to 2-1 on the season with a victory over UIU and a loss to WSU. She only played doubles two weekends ago and paired with Kelsie Sanders to take a 7-5 win against Bemidji State.
 
At No. 5 Thorfinnson moved to 4-1 on the season with a pair of straight set wins against Upper Iowa and Winona State. She is now 15-7 in her career in singles with a 11-5 league mark. At No. 5, she is now 12-5 with a 3-2 mark at No. 4.
 
Sophomore Kelsie Sanders is 2-2 on the season and 12-18 overall, including 6-12 in league play.  For the first time in her career, she played at No. 1 singles in USF 6-1 win over Minnesota Crookston. Sanders rolled to a straight set win at that spot. At No. 6, Rachel Klatt is 3-4 overall and 3-4 in NSIC play. She is 1-3 this season. Three USF players played singles for the first time this season and took wins. Tiffany Ross moved to 1-0 at No. 5 singles with a 6-0, 6-0 decision. Freshman Emily Applegate, who is 1-1 in double play this season, took a straight set victory at No. 3 singles in the UMC win. Also Brianna Whisler picked up her first career win with a straight set 6-0, 6-0 win against UMC. Whisler and Ross also teamed up in doubles for a win.
 
This past weekend Quandt and Jefferies teamed up for a pair of losses against WSU and UIU. Jefferies is now 12-9 in doubles for her career. Quandt is now 1-4 this year and 11-12 in doubles matches. As a tandem they are 1-2. Thorfinnson and Miller were 9-9 a year ago and now stands 10-13 in doubles after she and Thorfinnson dropped a decision to WSU, but beat UIU the following day. Thorfinnson is now 2-2 this year and 12-10 all-time. Klatt is 1-1 this year and 13-7 in her career in doubles.  Ambrosia-Cueto is 3-2 this year and in her career in doubles. Klatt is 2-1 this year and is now 14-7 in her career in doubles.