SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Making their first road trip of the regular season, the University of Mary Women's Tennis team paid a visit south to take on the University of Sioux Falls.
 
The Marauders (1-3, 1-3 NSIC) had another strong outing from their top two singles competitors, but lost out in the doubles competition as the Cougars (5-2, 2-1 NSIC) took the contest at 7-2.
 
Sarah Janes and Meredith Holt teamed up for the number one doubles spot against Alison Kauss and Emily Erickson, but the Marauder duo dropped a narrow decision as the Cougar twosome held on for the 9-7 final score. Catherine Gibbens and Eileen Leong took on Kara Bunkers and Kylie Simons for the number two doubles spot, but U-Mary found themselves in a similar situation as they also dropped a 9-7 decision to the Sioux Falls pair that put the team score at 2-0 in favor of the Cougars.
 
Monica Benda and Anastasia Bruss took on Stacey Beard and Abby Seigenthaler at the number three doubles spot, but couldn't recapture the magic that helped them back home against the University of Minnesota Duluth as the Cougar duo took home the doubles sweep at 8-3.
 
Janes took on Joey Wenborg at the number one singles spot and Janes finally got U-Mary on the board as she continues to shine with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over the Cougar to cut into the lead at 3-1. Gibbens followed that performance at the number two spot against Kauss as Gibbens fought back from a 6-3 defeat in the first set and took the second set at 6-2 to force the super tiebreaker.
 
Gibbens found another gear in her offensive repertoire as she cruised in the tiebreaker set to a 10-5 decision and clinched the comeback to cut the Cougars down another notch at 3-2.
 
Unfortunately, that would be the last victory U-Mary would get as the Cougars took the remaining singles matches on the night. Holt took on Erickson at the number three spot and the Marauder fought hard through every set despite the 6-2, 6-2 final score.  Bruss took on Beard at the number four spot and the Marauder was hot on the Cougar's heels in the first set even though Beard took the set at 6-4, but Bruss' offense ran out of gas in the second set as Beard claimed victory at 6-0.
 
Leong faced Bunkers at the number five singles spot and the Marauder found herself on the losing side of several tough points in the first set with Bunkers taking the win at 6-2, and Leong couldn't find the winning combination as Bunkers took the match at 6-0 in the second set.
 
Benda took on Simons in the final singles matchup of the day and the newcomer to the U-Mary squad provided a tough matchup at the number six singles spot before the Cougar took away the win at 6-3, 6-1, finalizing the team score at 7-2.
 
The Marauders will remain in Sioux Falls tomorrow as they take Augustana Univerisity in the morning at 9 AM.
 
Singles competition
1. Janes, Sarah (MARY) def. Joey Wenborg (SF) 6-1, 6-2
2. Gibbens, Catherine (MARY) def. Alison Kauss (SF) 3-6, 6-2, 10-5
3. Emily Erickson (SF) def. Holt, Meredith (MARY) 6-2, 6-2
4. Stacey Beard (SF) def. Bruss, Anastasia (MARY) 6-4, 6-0
5. Kara Bunkers (SF) def. Leong, Eileen (MARY) 6-2, 6-0
6. Kylie Simons (SF) def. Benda, Monica (MARY) 6-3, 6-1
 
Doubles competition
1. Alison Kauss/Emily Erickson (SF) def. Janes, Sarah/Holt, Meredith (MARY) 9-7
2. Kara Bunkers/Kylie Simons (SF) def. Gibbens, Catherine/Leong, Eileen (MARY) 9-7
3. Stacey Beard/Abby Seigenthaler (SF) def. Bruss, Anastasia/Benda, Monica (MARY) 8-3
 
#marauders#