WINONA, Minn. – Three matches in two days brought three losses to the Minnesota State University Moorhead tennis team over the weekend. The Augustana Vikings, Winona State Warriors and Upper Iowa Peacocks handed the Dragons women losses of 9-0 each Saturday and Sunday in Winona, Minn.
The Dragons first met the Vikings, ranked No. 1 regionally, at noon on March 3. Senior
Kayla Huether (4-1) lost her first singles match in the No. 1 spot to Augie's Hannah Gebauer. Huether was unable to score more than three points as Gebauer took the first match, 6-2,6-2.
Alyse Grelson (2-3) followed in the No. 2 spot but fell in the same score to Heather Sullivan. Over the next four matches, the Dragons only won two sets as the Vikings swept singles action.
Huether and Grelson's doubles record fell to 3-2 while winning one set. The Dragons duo fell to the Vikings pair of Kathrynn Jesperson and Michelle Wadas, 8-1. After Jenna Beth Galstad and
Jaime LaCoursiere fell 8-0,
Kaitlin McNary and
Tiffany Kapalczynski followed their lead and fell 8-2 to Liz Lewis and Gabrielle Kachena. The Vikings sweep on the day was the first of three against the Dragons on the weekend.
Just four hours later, the Dragons regrouped for their matches against the Warriors. Huether (4-2) again opened singles action, against Erin Kappers. She fell 6-1, 6-2 to Kappers which began a sweep for the Warriors. Kapalczynski (0-2) ended singles competition against Addison Adler by falling, 6-2, 6-0.
The No. 1 spot in doubles action featured a higher scoring match. Huether and Grelson (3-3) took Jessica Urban and Laura Lindstrand to 13 sets before action ended. The Viking twosome continued the sweep with a 8-5 win. The Dragons won three sets the rest of the way to end Saturday 0-2.
A new day brought new hope as the Dragons faced the Peacocks on Sunday. Unfortunately for MSUM, results would mirror those of the day before. Huether (4-3) and Amanda Nunez took court in the No. 1 spot. Nunez allowed Huether three set wins in the first match to take an opening win of 6-3, 6-0. Grelson (2-5) won the most sets of any Dragon on the weekend against Karli Loewecke. Extra sets would be needed in the first match as Grelson eventually fell, 7-5. The second match provided Grelson with a few set wins, but not enough to overtake the 6-3 Viking win.
No Dragon won more than three sets in the rest of singles action. Huether and Grelson (3-4) won four sets in the first match of doubles play compared to Nunez and Loewecke's eight. The four wins were not enough to take the first match and no Dragons could grab a win the rest of the way.
Spring break will provide the Dragons, 2-5 on the season and 2-4 in the Northern Sun, with three matches in Orlando, Fla. MSUM will first face Wayne State-Michigan on March 12 followed by matches on the 14th and 15th.
