Morningside suffers first loss, bounces back as spring season pushes forward

SOUTH SIOUX CITY, NEB. – Morningside's women's tennis team suffered its first loss of the season as it continues to test itself in preparation for a run at this year's Great Plains Athletic Conference title, crossing Sioux Falls and Minnesota-Morris off its spring schedule this weekend. The Mustangs, who received votes in the most recent National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics coaches' poll, split this weekend's matches, falling to Division I USF 4-3 before toppling the Division III Cougars 6-1.

The Mustangs picked up the doubles point over Sioux Falls on the strength of 6-4 and 6-2 wins from Line Jensen and Delfina Stuzynska and Emily Clotfelter and Macy McDonald, respectively. 

In singles play, Line Jensen picked up a 6-0, 6-3 win at no. 1 singles. Annika Meisel was the only other Mustang to pick up a win, taking the no. 4 match 6-3 and 7-5. 

Saturday's victory over the Minnesota-Morris Cougars saw the Mustangs sweep doubles, with Lidia Suarez and Sophia Guntren picking up a 6-0 win at no. 3 doubles, Clotfelter and McDonald winning 6-2 at no. 2, and Stuzynska and Meisel winning the no. 1 match 6-2.

Guntren started Morningside on the right foot in singles, winning 6-0, 6-1. Suarez followed with a no. 1 singles win 6-2, 6-1. Taylor Cole guaranteed the win for Morningside with her 6-0, 6-0 win at no. 4 singles, while Mia Wenzel got a 7-5, 6-4 win and Faith TenHulzen wrapped up Morningside's scoring with a 6-2, 6-0 win.

The Mustangs will hang quiet, working in the background until March 2, when they travel to Grinnell to play Grinnell College.

Sioux Falls

Doubles

1. Line Jensen/Delfina Stuzynska def. Talia Janos/Chloe Siegfort 6-4

2. Ella Hancock/Sydney Osburn def. Jil Hellerforth/Annika Meisel 7-6 (7-4)

3. Emily Clotfelter/Macy McDonald def. Dani Thornfinson/Katelyn Nesheim 6-2

Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2

Singles

1. Line Jensen def. Chloe Siegfort 6-0, 6-3

2. Dani Thornfinson def. Jil Hellerforth 4-6, 6-1, 10-8

3. Sydney Osburn def. Delfina Stuzynska 6-2, 7-5

4. Annika Meisel def. Ella Hancock 6-3, 7-5

5. Katelyn Nesheim def. Emily Clotfelter 6-4, 6-1

6. Jaelyn Haler def. Lidia Suarez 7-6 (10-5), 6-3

Order of Finish 1, 5, 4, 3, 6, 2

Minnesota-Morris

Doubles

1. Delfina Stuzynska/Annika Meisel def. Kiley Rodarmel/Allison Bruhn 6-2

2. Emily Clotfelter/Macy McDonald def. Valerie Gail/Marybeth Tautges 6-2

3. Lidia Suarez/Sophia Guntren def. Kristen Muller/Mariah Mireles 6-0

Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1

Singles

1. Lidia Suarez def. Kiley Rodarmel 6-2, 6-1

2. Sophia Guntren def. Valerie Gail 6-0, 6-1

3. Allison Bruhn def. Macy McDonald 6-4, 4-6, 13-11

4. Taylor Cole def. Marybeth Tautges 6-0, 6-0

5. Mia Wenzel def. Kristen Muller 7-5, 6-4

6. Faith TenHulzen def. Ava Weber 6-2, 6-0

Order of Finish 2, 1, 4, 3, 5, 6