BSU prepares for weekend in Owatonna, Minn. versus SMSU and MSU

The Bemidji State University tennis team heads down to Owatonna, Minn. this weekend to take on Southwest Minnesota State University and Minnesota State University Mankato on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. The Beavers are slated for 10:30 a.m. matches on both days.

Last weekend, the Beavers split their road trip to Grand Forks, N.D. where they took on St. Cloud State University and University of Minnesota Duluth. Though BSU swept doubles play versus SCSU, the team fell in singles play ending with a final score of 4-3. The Beavers’ matchup versus the Bulldogs gave the Beavers their first win of the Spring 2022 season, winning 6-1. Bemidji State is now 3-1 overall and 1-1 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.

Sophie Groen and Shaelyn Johnson dominated their singles matches, as well as taking doubles matches 6-4 versus SCSU and 6-1 versus UMD. The duo of Nico Anestiadi and Laney Rutkowski also provided two doubles wins this weekend. Against UMD, the Beavers only dropped two matches, the first in the No. 3 doubles position, where the Beavers ultimately took the doubles decision, and in the No. 5 singles spot. In the No. 5 singles spot, Isabela Nelson worked hard to win the point, but fell 6-4 and 6-4 to UMD’s Olivia Honsey.

Last season, the Beavers split their weekend against MSU and SMSU, sweeping the Mavericks 7-0 and taking the doubles point but falling in singles for a final score of 4-3 against SMSU. The Groen/Johnson duo is set to continue their current four-game winning streak that started last fall. They defeated pairs from University of Wisconsin-River Falls and Concordia College before heading into the spring season. Last season the pair held a record of 8-3 with wins coming from MSU and SMSU, among others.