BEMIDJI – The past few weeks have offered rigid competition for the Beavers.
Bemidji’s female tennis team has played some of the best that NSIC has to offer since March 21, including Augustana, League leader and third place Sioux Falls. BSU also faced the Minnesota Crookston in a revenge match of a 5-2 defeat on February 7.
The Bearvers displayed a 0-3 file against these three teams, although they bounced in the column of victories with a pair of 7-0 victories against the Bethany Lutheran College and the Wisconsin-Stout last Saturday.
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer
However, Bemidji’s condition jumped directly into the teeth of the NSIC Slate on Friday evening, welcoming the state of Minnesota, second at the Gillett Wellness Center.
The Mavericks won a 5-2 victory against BSU, winning the double point with two victories and winning four single victories.
But the Beavers have shown a lot of fighting in defeat, guaranteeing two huge single victories, snatching a double victory and bringing a few additional games at the edge.
“You are there, it’s encouraging,” said head coach Kyle Fodness. “Both to know that we can compete at this level and we can play at this level all the time. I think it’s funny, tonight was fun. It was really good tennis, really aggressive, no one I thought I was sitting passive. This is what university tennis should be.”
Unsurprisingly, Sophie Groen Senior was a star. She won a massive victory in single n ° 1, beating Freia Lawrence by dozens of 6-3 and 6-4 in a highly competitive set.
Lawrence is a high -end talent of the conference, bringing only two single defeats in the season in front of her match with Groen.
“Ideal for Soph to intensify as she could play and be really the attacker she is,” said Fodness. “She can make you uncomfortable with the speed at which she attacks, how much she spends the defense towards the offensive, if she is even in defense. It is very good for intensifying and taking control.
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer
“So it was big for the team. We had a lot of conversations on beliefs, and with a younger team (with) a good senior direction – super senior leadership – sometimes you see that Big Dog will come out on the field and hammer this forehand, I don’t know if I will win or not, but I’m going to hit as I can strike, I’m going to play.”
The other solid performance of BSU came from subclasses. The first year student Lauren Rutten picked up a nail victory of a three sets against Taina Cordeiro, winning with scores of 6-3, 2-6 and 10-8.
The second year student Ana Lucía Ibáñez spent a good night in simple and double. She joined forces with the Julia Lindseth recruit in double n ° 3, defeating Sutton and Taylor Julsrud 6-4.
The pairing is relatively new. For a large part of the season, Ibáñez joined forces with Valesca Rodriguez, but Fodness mixed the pairs in the hope of “completing the forces”.
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer
“It’s really new,” said Ibáñez. “I think we have played very well. I think I can be more like a leader in this double, and I think we are doing a good job because she is a very good player and that she has improved her game. … We had better communication and chemistry in the game.”
Ibáñez was also strong in simple, undergoing a defeat in three sets against Elizabeth Felderman by scores of 4-6, 6-1 and 6-2.
She continued to flash her high ceiling in defeat, impressing FOD – and even teammates – with her high -end forehand.
The FOD hopes that Ibáñez looks at force, letting it constantly lose.
“It is a forehand that many (n ° 1 in simple) in our conference would be very lucky,” said Fodness. “So use it and hit it, continue it.” If it works, it works, if not, this is not the case, but don’t ask, let’s go. If you are a three -point shooter, you shoot. If that’s what you do, do it. That, so let it bother.
For Ibáñez, a large part of this season has learned to bring together the confidence necessary to use his talents and refine the mental aspects of his game.
“This match is more a question of confidence and to be better mentally prepared,” said Ibáñez. “We are all struck a good right blow, we have all struck a good setback, we can all serve. And even when you play against a worst player, you must always be mentally difficult, because you can always lose the match. No matter who is a better player, because I think who wins the match is the one that is better mentally.”
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer
Minnesota State 5, Bemidji State 2
Simple
N ° 1: Groen (BSU) Def. Lawrence 6-3, 6-4
N ° 2: Stilwell (MSU) def. Leshem 6-4, 6-1
N ° 3: Demarce (MSU) Def. Rodriguez 6-1, 6-2
N ° 4: Felderman (MSU) def. Ibáñez 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
N ° 5: Rutten (BSU) def. Cordeiro 6-3, 2-6, 10-8
N ° 6: Deml (MSU) def. LindSeth 6-0, 6-1
Double
N ° 1: Lawrence / Stilwell (MSU) def. Groen / Leshem 6-0
N ° 2: Demarce / Felderman (MSU) Def. Rodriguez / Rutten 6-3
N ° 3: Ibáñez / LindSeth (BSU) def. T. Julsrud / s. Julsrud 6-4
