The University of Minnesota Duluth dropped 7-2 non-conference decisions to the College of St. Scholastica Friday night and Bemidji State University two days later in its 2016 season openers.
In the match with the Saints at the Arrowhead Tennis Center in Duluth, the Bulldogs got wins from sophomore
Jillian Klasen (No. 4 singles) and the No. 1 doubles tandem of junior co-captain
Drew DeCorsey and sophomore
Shelby Benkofske. Klasen won in a third set tie breaker while Benkofske (No. 2) and junior
Kaitlin Wohnoutka (No. 3) were beaten in three.
DeCorsey and Benkofske improved to 2-0 on the young season by besting Bemidji State's Shaylin Prout and Deanie Hatch at No. 1 doubles. Benkofske then went on to defeat Hatch for the Bulldogs' other victory at the Quad Cities Tennis Club in Virginia, Minn.
"I was pleased with how we competed against St. Scholastica," said UMD rookie head coach
Jessica Worden. "We had good energy and played well throughout the lineup. Our singles players put forth a great effort, but we lost in a few third-set tiebreakers which could have easily changed the match outcome.Â
"Shelby and Drew played great all weekend at No. 1 doubles. We took away some positives from these first two matches, but moving foward, there are things we need to work on -- mainly our consistency and our returns."
The Bulldogs will make their Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference debut this upcoming with matches against Minnesota State University-Moorhead (Saturday) and the University of Mary (Sunday) in Bismarck, N.D.
