The University of Minnesota Duluth launched its 2015 tennis season Sunday morning against a familiar foe -- the College of St. Scholastica -- and fell 7-2 at the facility the two crosstown rivals call home (the Arrowhead Tennis and Athletic Center).
UMD got singles victories from freshman
Shelby Benkofske (6-3, 6-1 over Daniela Rojas at No. 4) and sophomore
Kaitlin Wohnoutka (6-2, 6-3 over Miki Samz at No. 5), who improved her career singles record to 6-5. Sophomore
Drew DeCorsey took the Saint's Katie Kingston to a tiebreaker at No. 3, before succumbing 10-6.
Saturday's non-conference match marked the collegiate debuts of two other UMD newcomers --
Jillian Klasen (No. 6 singles) and
Kelsey Zetah (No. 3 doubles with junior
Bailey Kolles) as well as the return of senior captain
Alyssa Brunelli, who sat out all of last year with a knee injury. Brunelli lost in straight sets at No. 1 singles and teammed with
Kara Saemann, the Bulldogs' lone other senior, at No. 1 doubles.
"I liked what I saw from a couple of our doubles teams and about half of our singles players -- lots of bright spots," said UMD head coach
Bob Skenzich. "Some of the freshmen stepped up in their first collegiate matches and a few struggled. I thought Shelby, Kaitlin and Drew all played great. What we lacked today was overall consistency, but hopefully we can correct that."
The Bulldogs will be in St. Paul, Minn., next Saturday for a pair of matches with the St. Catherine University and the University of Northwestern (Minn.).
Match Results
