SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Southwest Minnesota State University women's tennis team opened Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play this weekend suffering a pair of losses to the University of Sioux Falls and Augustana.
On Saturday night, SMSU lost a tight 4-3 match, while on Sunday, Augustana won its 143
rd straight NSIC regular season match with a 7-0 victory.
In the loss to USF, the Cougars won two of three doubles matches to earn the team point. SMSU's
Joana Reis Indio and
Gabriela Almeida earned a 7-6 victory at No. 2, but
Peyton-Lynn Anderson and
Courtenay Leonard suffered a hard-fought 7-5 loss at No. 1, while
Roz Oye and
Faith Madikwe lost 6-1 at No. 3.
Leonard and Reis Indo both won in straight sets at No. 1 and No. 2 singles respectively, while Almeida picked-up a 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 victory at No. 6.
Anderson dropped a tight three-set match at No. 5 singles, while
Camila Paccieri also lost in three sets at No. 4.
In the setback to AU, the Mustangs battled in doubles play with Anderson and Leonard losing 6-2 at No. 1, Reis Indio and Almeida dropped a 6-3 match at No. 2, while Oye and Madikwe lost 6-4 at No. 3.
SMSU suffered straight set losses in all six single matches.
The Mustangs are now 1-6 overall, 0-2 NSIC, and will step out of NSIC play with five straight matches on their spring break trip. SMSU will take on Northwest Missouri State on Friday, March 3, in Maryville, Mo., before facing Missouri Western State on Saturday, March 4, in St. Joseph, Mo. SMSU will also have two matches in Arkansas and one more in Missouri on March 6-7.
