SIOUX FALLS – The University of Sioux Falls Tennis Team (4-2, 4-2 NSIC) has a busy weekend ahead with three matches in St. Peter, Minn. The Cougars will face Minnesota State (2-5, 1-5 NSIC) at 6 pm tonight (Friday, Feb. 28) before facing Gustavus Adolphus (1-2)  in nonconference action at 8 am Saturday morning then taking on Southwest Minnesota State (1-5, 1-5 NSIC) at 11:30 am on Sunday, March 1.

The Cougars, directed by Head Coach Kevin Grebin, will meet MSU on Friday as the Cougars look to build on a 4-2 record. Last week, they defeated SCSU, 6-1, before falling to Minnesota-Duluth, 5-2. In the last matchup with USF-MSU, the Cougars took a 7-0 decision on March 31, 2019. Overall MSU holds a 6-3 edge in the all-time series with the Cougars.However, USF has won the last two matches with a 6-3 win on Feb. 9, 2018. The last MSU win was on Feb. 12, 2017 when the Mavericks took a 9-0 decision. In 2012-13, MSU took 9-0 wins twice in the first meetings of the two schools in tennis. USF ended that run with a 5-4 win on March 27, 2014. MSU then won four-straight before USF has won the last two.

Gustavus Adolphus has opened 1-2 and lost to Drake, 7-0, and Northern Iowa, 7-0, after opening MIAC play with a 9-0 verdict against St. Mary's. USF holds a 2-0 lead over the Gusties but haven't played since 2016. On Feb. 13, 2016, the Cougars won, 5-4, in St. Peter, Minn. USF also had a 9-0 victory on Feb. 14, 2015.
USF wraps up the weekend with an NSIC contest with SMSU, which has opened 1-5 overall and 1-5 in league play.  On Feb. 23, they defeated Minnesota Crookston, 7-0. That victory came on the heels of five straight lead losses including 6-1 to Bemidji State on Feb. 22. In the last matchup, the Cougars came away with a 5-2 win on March 30. Overall, USF has a 7-1 edge and has won seven straight including 8-1, Feb. 10, 2018; 7-2, Feb. 11, 2017; 9-0, Feb. 14, 2016; 9-0, Feb. 14, 2015; 9-0, April 5, 2014; 7-2, March 24, 2013 but lost 6-3 in the first ever matchup on April 22, 2009. USF is 7-0 in NSIC play all-time with the Mustangs.
The Cougars opened the season with a 6-1 win over Bemidji State and then took a 7-0 decision over Minnesota Crookston. Two weeks ago, they rolled to a 5-2 win over Upper Iowa to move to 3-0 in league play before falling to Winona State, 7-0. Then they defeated SCSU, 6-1, and dropped a 5-2 decision to UMD last weekend.

So far, USF is 22-14 in singles play as No. 2 Megan Quadt, No. 3 Lexi Miller and No. 5 Joelle Thorfinnson are 3-2 this season. At No. 6, Rachel Klatt has a 2-2 record. No. 1 Chloe Jefferies, who has 25 career wins at USF, is 1-2 but missed last weekend. At No. 5, Victoria Ambrosio-Cueto has a 2-3 record. Freshman Allison Eichacker, senior Tiffany Voss and junior Brianna Whisler stand 1-0. USF freshman Peyton Forney is 1-1 to open her collegiate career. 

In doubles, the Cougars are 11-6 overall with a 2-1 mark at No. 1 by Jefferies/Thorfinnson. At No. 2 Forney/Quandt stand 3-2 while Klatt/Thorfinnson have a 2-0 mark at No. 2. Emily Applegate/Tiffany Voss, while Eichacker/Whisler both stand 1-0. Ambrosio-Cueto and Miller have a 1-2 mark at No. 3.    

Season Review -

USF wins opener over Bemidji State, 6-1
With a dominate performance in singles and winning the doubles point, USF successfully opened the season with a 6-1 decision over Bemidji State (4-2, 2-1 NSIC) on Saturday (Feb. 8) at the Huether Family Match Pointe.  The Cougars captured wins at No. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 singles for five points and with victories at No. 1 and 2 doubles for another point, the Cougars earned the victory as they opened the season at home. 
 
At No. 1 singles, Chloe Jefferies, a two-time All-NSIC performer, rolled to a 6-0, 6-2 victory as she opened the season with a straight set victory. She earned her 25th career victory in 33 matches and now is 17-4 in league play. NSIC Player to Watch Megan Quandt, a junior, rallied to defeated Hannah Alme with a 4-6, 6-0, 1-0 (11-9) at No. 2 singles. Lexi Miller won at No. 3 when her opponent retired. At No. 4 singles, Victoria Ambrosio-Cueto dominated with a 6-1, 6-3 verdict. And, USF earned a win at No. 6 as Rachel Klatt had a 6-2, 7-6 (11-9) victory in her first match of the year. USF won at No. 1 doubles with Jefferies and Thorfinnson taking a 6-4 decision. When Quandt teamed with freshman Peyton Forney for a 6-2 victory at No. 2 doubles, the Cougars earned the doubles point. 

Cougars top UMC, 7-0
With wins at the top six singles spots as well as earning the doubles point, USF swept Minnesota Crookston, 7-0, in the second match of the season.

At No. 1 singles, freshman Peyton Forney earned her first-ever win in her first ever match with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Ashley Smith. The same was true for freshman Allison Eichacker who won her first-ever match at USF with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Latafale Niumeitolu. Sophomore Emily Applegate registered her second career win with a straight set 6-0, 6-0 decision over UMC's Ashley Chomyn. Both senior Tiffany Voss, who won at No. 4 singles with a straight set win, and junior Brianna Whisler, who was victorious at No. 5 singles also in straight sets, moved to 2-0 in their singles careers. Applegate and Voss earned their first doubles win by take a 6-0 decision at No. 1 doubles. Then, Eichacker and Whisler teamed up for the first time and registered a 6-0 win at No. 2 doubles to clinch the win.

Cougars top UIU, 5-2
USF moved to 3-0 overall and in league play with a 5-2 decision over Upper Iowa (2-3, 1-2 NSIC) on Feb. 15 at the Huether Family Match Pointe. The Cougars won four of the six singles matches and captured the double points with a dominant performance by the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles squads. Lexi Miller moved to 2-0 at No. 3 with her straight set wins. Victoria Ambrosio-Cueto also won in straight sets with her second win in two outings. Thorfinnson won at No. 5 to improve to 1-1 on the season. The No. 1 doubles team of Jefferies/Thorfinnson is now 2-0 as did the No. 2 doubles combo of Quandt and Forney after 6-0 verdicts.

USF falls to Winona State, 7-0
USF dropped a 7-0 decision to Winona State (3-1, 3-1 NSIC) in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action on Sunday (Feb. 16) at the Huether Family Match Pointe. The Warriors won all six singles matches and also swept the doubles competition.  At No. 2 singles, Megan Quandt split the first two sets before losing a tiebreaker, 12-10. At No. 1 doubles, Chloe Jefferies and Joelle Thorfinnson.

Cougars drop 5-2 decision to UMD
USF received a pair of wins in singles but dropped a 5-2 decision to Minnesota Duluth in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Feb. 22 at the Sta-Fit Center. The Cougars lost four of six singles matches and won at No. 2 doubles but dropped decision at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles.  With her win at No. 1 singles, Megan Quandt moved to 3-2 on the season and is 2-0 playing in the top singles spot. Joelle Thorfinnson earned her second straight singles win at No. 4 singles and moved to 3-2 on the season with her second straight win. In the doubles competition, Quandt and freshman Peyton Forney dropped a decision at No. 1 singles. However, USF rebounded to win at No. 2 doubles as Thorfinnson and Rachel Klatt won a 6-4 decision and now stand 2-0 on the season. At No. 3 Emily Applegate and Allison Eichacker paired in doubles for the first time but dropped a 6-2 decision.

USF turns back SCSU, 6-1
With a dominating performance, USF rolled to its fourth win in five matches with a 6-1 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference win over St. Cloud State (2-4, 2-4 NSIC) on Feb. 21 at the Sta-Fit Tennis Center. The Cougars picked up five wins in six singles matches and won all three doubles competitions for the doubles point. At No. 1 singles, junior Megan Quandt fought through and earned a win over Mirei Ichida, 6-3, 7-6 (11-13) and 1-0 (10-2) in a match that went to the tie-breaker. USF also had a standout effort at No. 2 singles as junior Lexi Miller defeated Shanna Kinney, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the match. Also with singles win was Joelle Thorfinnson, Rachel Klatt and Emily Applegate at No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 singles respectively. In the doubles, Quandt paired with freshman Peyton Forney to defeated Kinny/Fredrickson of SCSU, 7-6 with a 7-5 decision in the tiebreaker.  At No. 2 doubles, Thorfinnson and Klatt teamed up for a 6-1 decision and Miller/Ambrosio-Cueto had a strong outing with a 6-3 decision.