SIOUX FALLS -- After a successful weekend sweep, the University of Sioux Falls Tennis Team (6-4, 6-3 NSIC) will wrap up their regular season and celebrate Senior Day at noon on Friday, April 16 against Southwest Minnesota State (7-7, 7-3 NSIC). Then at 9 am on Sunday, April 18, USF concludes the regular season against Upper Iowa (2-10, 2-7 NSIC) at Great Life - Woodlake.

USF will honor three seniors this upcoming weekend, including Rachel Klatt, Victoria Ambrosio-Cueto, and Lexi Miller.

Klatt, a Columbus, Neb., native and Exercise Science major, is 4-6 in singles play at No. 2, No. 5, and No. 6 and 5-3 in doubles so far this season. Ambrosio-Cueto, a Business Administration major from Santa Rosa Rio Primero, Argentina, is 4-0 at No. 3 and No. 6 singles and 1-2 overall in doubles play on the year. Miller, of Mankato, Minn., is currently 5-5 in singles overall and 5-4 in the NSIC with a 2-6 mark in doubles play, and is majoring in Biology, Chemistry, and Pre-Med at USF. 

The Cougars, which have won three of the past four NSIC matches, sit 6-4 overall but 6-3 in the NSIC and sixth in the conference standings. SMSU is 7-3 in the league (7-7 overall) and just ahead of the Cougars in the standings. After their last weekend of regular season competition, the Cougars will stay right here in Sioux Falls for the NSIC Conference Tournament April 23-25. 
 
SMSU is 7-7 coming into the match, with a 7-0 loss against Augustana on Wednesday, April 14 in Sioux Falls, SD. The Cougars are 8-1 against the Mustangs all-time, with USF winning the last eight matchups, including three home matches and five away. USF's last home win against SMSU was March 30, 2019 by a 5-2 count. 

Upper Iowa sits at 2-10 this season, after a 7-0 loss to Minnesota Duluth on April 10, and a 6-1 loss to St. Cloud State on April 9. In the all-time series with Upper Iowa, the Cougars and the Peacocks are tied at 5-5. USF has won the last three matches, including a 5-2 win in Sioux Falls on Feb. 15, 2020, which was also their most recent matchup. 
 
Quick Review – USF now 6-4 overall and 6-3 in the conference
 
After falling to DI South Dakota, 7-1, on Feb. 3, the Cougars dropped a 5-2 decision at Winona State, in a match which USF battled the Warriors, picked third in the NSIC Preseason Coaches poll, throughout the contest. USF then went on to defeat Minnesota Duluth 5-2 on Feb. 20 in the Cougar's home opener, and defeated SCSU 4-3 on Feb. 21. In the 5-2 decision over Minnesota-Duluth, USF picked up its first win of the season. The Cougars dropped a 7-0 decision to Augustana on Sun., Feb. 28 at GreatLife-Woodlake. In a match that was rescheduled from Feb. 21 postponement, the Cougars battled all day but fell short against the defending NSIC champions.

USF defeated a previously undefeated MSU Moorhead team, 5-2, in Bismarck, ND on March 27. The next day, the Cougars battled hard all day, but ended up dropping a 4-3 decision to UMary on March 28 in Bismarck, ND. 

In their most recent set of matches, the Cougars defeated Bemidji St., 4-3, in Grand Forks, N.D., on April 9. USF also recorded a a dominating 7-0 over Minnesota Crookston later that same day. The NSIC Conference Championships will be held in Sioux Falls, SD at the Huether Family Matche Pointe, Fri., April 23 - Sun., April 25.

Leading the way for USF is senior Joelle Thorfinnson, who has a 11-8 overall mark with a 6-3 record in singles at No. 3, No. 4 or No. 5 (4-1) and a 5-5 record in doubles including 2-2 at No. 1.  Senior Lexi Miller is 5-5 in singles overall and 5-4 in the NSIC with a 2-6 mark in doubles play. Megan Quandt is 3-6 in singles and 5-4 in doubles matches. Freshman Talia Janos is 2-5 overall at No. 2 singles and 5-2 in doubles competition. Freshman Danielle Thorfinnson is 5-3 in singles (No. 4 and No. 5) and 4-4 in doubles competition. Senior Rachel Klatt is 4-6 in singles play at No. 2, No. 5, and No. 6 and 5-3 in doubles. Senior Victoria Ambrosio-Cueto is 4-0 at No. 3 and No. 6 singles and 1-2 overall in doubles play.

USF's No. 1 doubles team is Janos and Quandt, going 4-2 so far this season, while the Thorfinnson sisters (Danielle and Joelle) are the Cougars No. 2 team, with a 2-3 record this season. 

Overall this season, USF is 32-28 in singles, and stand 32-22 in NSIC competition. In doubles, USF is 16-14, and 16-11 in the NSIC.
 
USF picked 5th in NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll
 
USF was been picked to finish fifth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches Poll which was released by the league office on Tuesday, Feb. 2.  A year ago, USF, which was 8-5 before the CoVID-19 pandemic ended the season, finished 43-33 in singles with a 33-15 record before the CoVID-19 pandemic ended the 2020 season. USF advanced to the semifinals of the NSIC Championships in 2018-19.