FARGO, ND – The University of Mary tennis team will travel to Fargo, ND, to take on Upper Iowa University on Saturday, February 20, at 3 pm and Winona State College on Sunday, February 21, at 9 am. The Marauders are coming off a weekend sweep over the University of Minnesota Crookston 7-0 and Bemidji State University 4-3.
The Marauders claimed all three doubles matches in their match against Crookston to earn one team point. UMary also won all six singles matches to earn a shutout over the Golden Eagles.
The match against Bemidji State was a close one, but the Marauders pulled out the victory after Heidi Jacobson clinch the victory in the final match of the day. Jacobson won an intense match over Maggie Richardson winning 6-2, 7-6 in number six singles.
LAST TIME THESE TEAMS MET
Last year UMary defeated UIU 6-1. Tasha Dembo, Kelsey Lajom and Jamie Stooper all earned victories in singles action. The Marauders claimed all two doubles matches. Tasha Dembo and Yusra Hegy claimed number one doubles 7-5. Danielle Wolf and Jamie Stoppler took number two doubles 6-4.
The Marauders fell to WSC last season 6-1. Yusra Hegy was the only UMary athlete to earn a point.
OPPO RESEARCH – UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY
Upper Iowa is projected to finish 8th in the NSIC according to the 2021 NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Peacocks first two games against the University of Sioux Falls and Augustana University were postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. UIU went 3-7 last year going 2-6 in the conference. Head coach Leo Millet enters his fifth season as the coach of the Peacocks and has gone 15-32 over that span. Millet brings a young squad with him as five of his eight players are freshmen. Freshman Varvara Ogorodnikova was named as the Peacock's NSIC Player to Watch.
OPPO RESEARCH – WINONA STATE COLLEGE
Winona State is projected to finish third in the NSIC. WSC has gone 1-1 thus far in the season. They defeated the University of Sioux Falls 5-2 before falling Augustana University 7-0. The Warriors went 10-4 last season as they earned a 6-2 conference record. Junior Beth Murman was named the Warrior's player to watch as she went 9-4 in singles competition last year. Head coach Tom Sanvik enters his first season as WSC's coach as he was hired in August of 2020. Sanvik competed in men's tennis at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
ROSTER RUNDOWN
Returning players to the Marauders includes seniors Tasha Dembo, Yusra Hegy and Kelsey Lajom, juniors Kali Askvig and Jaime Stoppler, and sophomores Sarah Zielinski and Heidi Jacobson. UMary added three freshmen to the team with Ellie Schmidt, Samantha Purpura and Emily Patton.
TASHA DEMBO PLAYER TO WATCH
Tasha Dembo was named as the 2021 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Players to Watch for the Marauders as the NSIC released the preseason coaches' poll. Already a two-time member of the All-Northern Sun team and a three-time NSIC Player of the Week in her career, the Harare, Zimbabwe, native is coming off an impressive 2020 season. She finished second in #1 singles last season in the NSIC (7-1 NSIC, 9-4 overall). Dembo was 15-5 (7-3 NSIC) in 2019 and 7-2 (4-1) in 2018.
UMARY PROJECTED TO FINISH FOURTH
UMary, led by the 2019 Northern Sun Coach of the Year Vida Saliendra, is projected to finish fourth in the NSIC after having one of their most successful seasons last year. The Marauders went 9-4 overall and 7-1 in the NSIC, finishing third in the NSIC before the season was canceled due to COVID-19.
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