The University of Minnesota Duluth split a pair of matches in its first two Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference assignments of the 2018 season, opening up the weekend with a 8-1 victory over the University of Mary on Friday before falling 6-3 to Minnesota State University-Moorhead the following morning in Fargo, N.D. The triumph against Mary marked the first time in six years the Bulldogs had opened a season at 2-0.

Senior Shelby Benkofske (No. 1), sophomore Megan Anderson (No. 2) and freshman Natalie Cahill (No. 4) each won twice in singles with Benkofske and Cahill improving to 3-0 on the year (and a perfect 5-0 including the two exhibition matches earlier this month). Benkofske and Anderson prevailed at No. 1 doubles on Friday as did Cahill and fellow rookie Isabel Thiner.

In Saturday's setback to the Dragons (3-0 overall; 2-0 NSIC), UMD put itself in a hole by dropping all three doubles matches before getting singles triumphs -- all in a tie-breaker -- from Benkofske, Anderson and Cahill.

The Bulldogs will remain on the road to take on NSIC rivals the University of Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State University next Saturday (Feb. 18) in Bemidji, Minn..

UMD-Mary Results
UMD-MSUM Results