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Women take third in NCCs
The SCSU women's tennis team fell short of the program's sixth NCC Championship
By Ryan Atkins
Published:
Monday, April 26, 2004
The momentum that carried SCSU women's tennis to an upset victory over UNO two weeks ago could not assist the Huskies who were unable to move up from their third position in the NCC tournament this past weekend in Omaha, Neb.
UND, currently third in the region, won the NCC tourney with 58 points, UNO pulled in 52 for second place, and the Huskies claimed the third spot with 45.
The tournament started well as senior Berit Merrill was able to defeat her first two opponents and enter the championship round facing Jenny Cartwright from UND. Merrill was unsuccessful in her attempt to claim No. 1 singles, and lost by the score of 6-4, 6-1, but was able to secure a second place finish.
Merrill was pleased with the way she played despite the set back, but has no excuses.
"(Cartwright) played great and didn't make mistakes," Merrill said. "It's not how I would have liked to finish, but I did my best."
Junior Nicole Lechner started strong as she dismissed Lindsey Schmidt from MSU 6-0, 6-2, but the semifinal round stretched Lechner's game as she was facing UND's Jeni Mihulka, losing 6-4, 6-1. Lechner was more than capable of regaining her composure defeating Leah Branaaugh from USD 6-0, 6-0, earning a third place finish.
At No. 3 singles, Sara Eull downed SDSU's Kari Markell 6-0, 6-2 before being tripped up in the semifinal round by Erica Fredstrom and narrowly losing 7-6 with a triple tiebreaker. Eull then easily dismantled USD's Jacklyn Engels 6-2, 6-0 for a third place finish.
Following Merrill's lead, Courtney Hover was able to enter the championship match after defeating Maggie Russell from UNO 6-4, 6-2, and then SDSU's Emily Rollins 6-1, 6-2 before being downed by UND's Erin Sullivan 6-1, 6-1, giving Hover a second place finish at No. 4 singles.
Kelly Severson lost in a difficult tie breaker in the first round at No. 5 singles to Abby Wilson from UNO, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6. Severson won her first round consolation match, placing her in the fifth place match that Severson used to defeat MSU's Britney Sahlman 6-1, 6-0.
In the No. 6 singles, Nicole Nyberg, undefeated at 19-0 entering the tournament, received a bye as a number one seed. She battled UND's Dufresne 6-3, 6-7, 6-0 in the semifinal, to set up the final with UNO's Shannon Dinovo.
Two weeks earlier, Nyberg battled for a victory over Dufresne, but this time it was different. Needing one victory to tie teammate Lechner's school record of consecutive singles matches without a loss, Dufresne halted Nyberg's chance to tie a school record. Dufresne won 6-3, 6-2.
Head coach Larry Sundby was impressed by how Nyberg carried herself the entire season, and during the championship round.
"(Nyberg) was very consistent all year. Most athletes have ups and downs, but Nicole didn't have a bad day," Sundby said. "Nicole thought (Dufresne) played a nice game, and gives her a lot of credit."
The doubles continued in the same fashion as No. 1 doubles Merrill and Lechner were able to arrive in the championship round to face Cartwright and Mihulka. The ending was the same as the duo from UND proved to be too strong for Merrill and Lechner, winning 8-2.
At No. 2 doubles, Eull and Hover finished fifth with an 8-2 victory over USD's Michele Hogan and Rochelle Otto.
Alyssa Lauritsen and Jodi Pease managed to make the semifinals at doubles No. 3, but lost to Spaulding and Wilson from UNO 8-4. Lauritsen and Pease managed a third place finish after defeating Jenna Bake and Lindsey Schmidt from MSU.
Merrill understands that UND is good, but believes that the style of play could be a factor in the dominance UND has shown over SCSU this season.
"(UND) has really good players," Merrill said. "Their style doesn't match our style. We were able to defeat UNO (5-4), but UNO was capable of defeating UND (5-4)."
SCSU also was able to go 3-3 in matches with UNO during the Conference Tournament, but was 1-6 against UND while two of those losses combined for a score of 14-4. UND definitely has SCSU's number, but both Merrill and Sundby are confident that the team can compete and defeat UND and any other team SCSU may meet in the Regional Tournament with hard work.
"They're (UND) a really good team. We need to try our best in practice and matches," Merrill said.
SCSU, currently ranked fifth in the Region (the top eight teams are invited to NCAA Regional Tournament), may face UND in the Regional Tournament, but Sundby is not worried.
"UND is a little stronger but it's not impossible," Sundby said. "We need a few players to play some of their best tennis."
With Regionals two weeks away and played outdoors, Sundby is planning on giving the team a few days off until the end of the week. They'll practice outside to prepare to receive an invitation to the National Tournament.
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