After a four-week layoff, the University of Minnesota Duluth returned to the court Saturday afternoon and showed little signs of rustiness while defeating Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference rival Southwest Minnesota State University 8-1 at the Arrowhead Tennis Center in Duluth. The Bulldogs then concluded the home portion of its league schedule with a 7-2 setback to Minnesota State University-Mankato the following day.

Against Southwest Minnesota State, the Bulldogs got off to an encouraging startby sweeping the three doubles matches, getting wins from junior Drew DeCorsey and sophomore Kelsey Zetah at No. 1, sophomores Shelby Benkofske and Jillian Klasen at No. 2 and sophomores Katie Baasch and Karly Weber at No. 3. Benkofske (No. 1), DeCorsey (No. 2), junior Kaitlin Wohnoutka (No. 3), Klassen (No. 4) and freshman Rachel Menke (No. 6) all posted straight-set singles triumphs as UMD put the clamps on a three-match losing skid. 

Baasch and Weber prevailed at No. 3 doubles and Benkofske downed Melissa Mashburn 7-5- and 6-3 at No. 1 singles to account for the Bulldog victories in the loss to Minnesota State-Mankato. Benkofske is now 3-1 at No. 1 singles since making her collegiate debut at that spot four matches ago.

UMD (3-10 overall; 3-5 in NSIC), will be in Sartell, Minn., next weekend for its 2016 NSIC finales against the University of Sioux Falls (Saturday), Augustana University (Sunday) and host St. Cloud State University (Sunday).