MARSHALL, Minn. - The Southwest Minnesota State University women's tennis team (2-0, 2-0 NSIC) continues conference play this Sunday with two Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference matches in Grand Forks, N.D.    
 
SMSU will take on Minnesota Crookston (0-3, 0-3 NSIC) at 8:30 a.m. before facing Bemidji State (1-2, 1-2 NSIC) at 1 p.m. Both matches will be held at Choice Health & Fitness.
 
            HEAD COACH
•Jon Parker is in his second season as head coach with an overall record of 3-7.
•The 10^th head coach in team history, Parker was named to the position on Jan. 9, 2020.
•Parker served two seasons (2017-18) as head coach at Northeastern State (Okla.), leading the Riverhawks to a 39-11 overall recording, including 18-0 in conference play, and a pair of NCAA Tournaments. He was named the 2018 MIAA Coach of the Year.
•Parker was also a successful girls' and boys' high school coach in Oklahoma and Texas.
 
            SERIES HISTORY VS. MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
•SMSU and Minnesota Crookston meet for the 18^th time on Sunday with SMSU leading 15-2.
•SMSU has won the last eight matches in the series with UMC's last win coming in 2013.
•SMSU has won the last four matches via shutout, including 7-0 last season in Owatonna, Minn.
 
            SERIES HISTORY VS. BEMIDJI STATE
•SMSU and Bemidji State meet for the 40^th time on Sunday with SMSU leading 27-12.
•BSU has won the last seven matches, including 6-1 last season in Owatonna, Minn., with SMSU's last victory coming in 2013 in Grand Forks, N.D.
 
            SMSU NOTES
•SMSU opened the 2021 season in a big way last weekend in Lakeville, Minn., defeating Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State by identical scores of 4-3.
•SMSU lost the doubles point in both matches, but rallied to win four singles matches to secure the win.
•SMSU's win over SCSU was its first since the 1992 season, snapping a 27-match losing streak, while the win over UMD was its first over the Bulldogs since the 2010 season.
•In the win over UMD, the Mustangs used four victories in singles play—including three, three-set wins—to secure the victory.
•SMSU locked up the victory over SCSU in thrilling fashion as Maja Louisa Harck, who trailed 2-5 in the deciding third set, rallied to win five straight points and win the match 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.
•Maegan Flight, Maja Louisa Harck, Courtenay Leonard and Gwedolen Sior all finished 2-0 in singles play last Saturday.
•Flight won both of her No. 1 singles matches, 6-0, 6-0, and 6-1, 6-1.
•Harck and Leonard went 2-0 at No. 2 doubles.  
 
            HARCK NAMED NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
•SMSU freshman Maja Louisa Harck was named the NSIC Player of the Week on Tuesday. She is the first Mustang player to earn the award since Ashley Hoehne in 2016.
•Harck went 4-0 on Saturday, winning both singles matches and teaming with Courtenay Leonard on a pair of wins at No. 2 doubles.
 
            LOOKING FOR WINNING LEAGUE RECORD
•SMSU last recorded a winning season in conference play during the 2008 season, finishing 5-2.
•The last time SMSU won four matches in conference play occurred during the 2010 season.  
 
            PRESEASON NSIC POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish 10^th in the preseason NSIC Coaches' poll. The top eight teams in the final regular season standings qualify for the NSIC Tournament in April 23-24 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
 
            MUSTANG HISTORY
•The 2021 season marks the 44th year of intercollegiate tennis at SMSU. The program won nine straight conference championships from 1984-92 and also placed at the NAIA Championships each season from 1984-93.
•SMSU's highest finish at the NAIA Championships was 11^th in 1990. SMSU also finished 12^th in 1989, 13^th in 1988, 14^th in 1992, 16^th in 1991, 17^th in both 1984 and 1985 and 19^th in 1987.