GRAND FORKS – The University of Sioux Falls Tennis Team moved into a tie for fifth place in the NSIC after picking up a pair of wins in league play on Friday in Grand Forks, N.D. The Cougars rallied to defeat Bemidji State, 4-3, and then rolled to a 7-0 win against Minnesota Crookston.
Next up for USF will be a home match against Southwest Minnesota State at noon at the Huether Family Match Pointe on Friday, April 16 and then close the regular season against Upper Iowa at 9 am on Sunday, April 18 at Great Life-Woodlife in Sioux Falls. Then USF will play in the NSIC Championships on April 23-25.
Against Bemidji State, USF rallied with singles wins at No. 4, 5, 6 plus the doubles point, which was earned as two teams (No. 2, No. 3) won tiebreakers as USF defeated BSU in a critical match in the NSIC standings. Then, USF won all six singles matches and three doubles contests to earn the win against UMC. USF is now tied with U-Mary for fifth in the NSIC with 6-3 conference marks.
Highlights - Leading the way for USF was senior
Rachel Klatt, who won both her singles matches (No. 2 vs Minnesota Crookston, No. 6 vs Bemidji State) to push her win total to four on the season. She won both matches in straight sets and stands 4-6 on the season. She also paired with
Joelle Thorfinnson at No. 1 doubles in the win over UMC and was teamed with
Peyton Forney at No. 3 against BSU as they rallied to help USF to a win. As a result, Klatt is now 5-3 this year in doubles competition. Klatt/Forney trailed 2-5, 0-40 at No. 3 doubles and won in a tiebreaker which provided a key win and the doubles point as USF defeated Bemidji State, 4-3.
In that match, USF also won No. 2 doubles in a tiebreaker as
Talia Janos and
Danielle Thorfinnson, both freshman, earned the 7-6 (7-5 win).
Today
Rhianna Cantine won her first career singles match with a straight set win and was also on the victorious No. 3 doubles team with
Victoria Ambrosio-Cueto against UMC.
"I have to tell you that I was really pleased with our performance today," said USF Head Tennis Coach
Kevin Grebin. "Everyone contributed. They all played with heart and made plays. We had the No. 4, 5, 6 singles plus the doubles point earn the win over BSU and then had a good effort against UMC," he said.
Sioux Falls 7 Minnesota Crookston 0
SIngles
No. 1 –
Lexi Miller (USF) over Tasha Achermann (UMC), 6-0, 6-1
No. 2 –
Rachel Klatt (USF) def. Michelle Swyter (UMC), 6-1, 6-0
No. 3 –
Victoria Ambrosio-Cueto (USF) over Ashley Chomyn (UMC), 6-0, 6-0
No. 4 –
Peyton Forney (USF) def. Karli Renney (UMC), 6-1, 6-0
No. 5 –
Emily Applegate (USF) over Samantha Hartung (UMC), 6-0, 6-0
No. 6 –
Rhianna Cantine (USF) def. Gabriela Pinto (UMC), 6-2, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 –
Rachel Klatt/
Joelle Thorfinnson (USF) def. Tasha Achermann/Michelle Swyter (UMC), 6-3
No. 2 –
Emily Applegate/
Peyton Forney (USF) over Ashley Chomyn/Gabriela Pinto (UMC), 6-1
No. 3 –
Victoria Ambrosio-Cueto/
Rhianna Cantine (USF) def. Karli Renney/Samantha Hartung (UMC), 6-1
Sioux Falls 4 Bemidji State 3
Singles
- Sophie Groen (BSU) over Megan Quandt (USF), 6-1, 6-2
- Shaelyn Johnson (BSU) def. Talia Janos (USF, 6-0, 6-2
- Claudia Billand (BSU) over Lexi Miller (USF), 6-2, 2-6. 6-4
- Danielle Thorfinnson (USF) over Hannah Petersen (BSU), 6-2, 6-4
- Joelle Thorfinnson (USF) def. Laney Rutkowski (BSU), 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
- Rachel Klatt (USF) def. Maggie Richardson (BSU), 6-2, 6-4
Doubles
- Sophie Groen/Shaelyn Johnson (BSU) def. Megan Quandt/Joelle Thorfinnson (USF), 6-1
- Talia Janos/Danielle Thorfinnson (USF) over Claudia BIlland/Isabela Nelson (BSU), 7-6 (7-5)
- Peyton Forney/Rachel Klatt (USF) def. Hannah Peterson/Laney Rutkowski (BSU), 7-6 (7-5)
