4/15/2009 1:09:42 PM
Idle since a spring visit to San Diego, CA, Minnesota State Moorhead returns to tennis action in a most challenging manner with five matches in five days, including today's meeting with Concordia College at 4 p.m. at Concordia.
SCHEDULE - - - Minnesota State University Moorhead vs. Concordia College on Wednesday, April 15, at 4 p.m. at the Cobber Courts in Moorhead; MSU Moorhead vs. Winona State University (1 p.m.) and University of Upper Iowa (5 p.m.) on Friday, April 17, at Owatonna; MSU Moorhead vs. Southwest Minnesota State University on Saturday, April 18, at SMSU Courts in Marshall; MSU Moorhead vs. St. Cloud State University on Sunday, April 19, at 8:30 a.m. at Gold’s Gym in St. Cloud.
RECORD- - - MSU Moorhead is 4-5 overall and 4-3 vs. Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opposition.
COACH - - - Gary Harris begins his 14th year as head coach at MSU Moorhead.
LAST WEEK- - - MSU Moorhead was idle last week.
LINEUP- - - The Dragons’ probable lineup for this week:
Singles # 1 Kayla Huether (Brainerd), Fr.
2 Kathryn Neubauer (Mandan, ND), Fr.
3 Emily Delaney (Fargo, ND), Fr.
4 Ellen Matheson (Moorhead), Sr.
5 Laura Benz (Fargo, ND), Sr.
6 Alyse Grelson (Cold Spring), Fr.
Doubles 1 Huether/Matheson
2 Neubauer/Delaney
3 Benz/Grelson
RESCHEDULED- - - Three matches have been rescheduled. MSU Moorhead will face Winona State at 1 p.m. and Upper Iowa at 5 p.m on April 17 at Owatonna, and Southwest Minnesota State at 11 a.m. April 18 at Marshall.
LAST MATCHES- - - Minnesota State Moorhead fell to Bemidji State, 5-4, and Minnesota Duluth, 8-1, on a NSIC roadtrip April 6-7.
LETTERWINNERS- - - MSUM retains four letterwinners, including seniors Laura Benz (Fargo, ND) and Ellen Matheson (Moorhead), junior Traci Pesta (Long Prairie) and sophomore Susan Gilkerson (Brookings, SD).
NEW FACES- - - The 10-player Dragon roster also includes freshmen Emily Delaney (Fargo, ND), Alyse Grelson (Cold Spring), Kayla Huether (Brainerd), Jenna Miller (Moorhead), Kathryn Neubauer (Mandan, ND) and Jennesa Winey (Spicer).
LAST YEAR- - - MSU Moorhead finished 4-13 overall and 4-5 in the NSIC and placed fourth in the eight-team field at the NSIC Championships.
NSIC CHAMPIONSHIPS- - - Minnesota State Moorhead placed fourth at the 2008 NSIC Championships in Minneapolis. Winona State captured the team title with 58 points while the Dragons finished fourth with 35.Alyssa Schafer was a runnerup at number six singles and earned honorable mention All-NSIC honors. Schafer fell to Trisha Baldwin of Southwest Minnesota State 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 in the finals.
COACH OF THE YEAR- - - Gary Harris was saluted as NSIC Coach of the Year for guiding MSUM to a runnerup finish at the 2007 NSIC Championships for a third straight year. Harris also won the award in 1998 and 2002.
NEXT- - - MSU Moorhead will face Augustana College April 21 at Watertown, SD.