SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Winona State University women's tennis team saw the 2023 season come to a close on Friday, April 21, after falling in an NSIC Tournament quarterfinal match against the University of Mary, 4-3.
The Marauders opened doubles play with a 6-2 victory at No. 1 doubles, but Winona State tied things up after
Miranda Daulong and
Clara Thoemke took No. 3 singles by a score of 6-4. UMary then won the deciding doubles match with a 6-4 victory to claim the doubles point.
Winona State quickly saw themselves down 1-3 after UMary won two of the first three singles matches off the court to put the Warriors on the brink of elimination.
However,
Beth Murman -
named the NSIC Outstanding Senior by the league earlier in the day - started the Warrior comeback, winning 6-4, 6-2 at the top singles position to earn the first singles point and give WSU some momentum.
Ally Burger then put another point in the singles column for WSU, claiming a 6-1, 6-3 victory at No. 6 singles. Following Burger's victory, Warrior teammate
Rachel Kelly pulled out a grueling three-set victory with scores of 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 at No. 2 singles to tie the match at three apiece.
With it coming down to the deciding court at No. 5 singles, UMary's Emily Needham outlasted WSU's Thoemke for a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 three-set victory, advancing the Marauders to the NSIC semifinals and ending the Winona State season. As a team, Winona State finished their season 9-9 overall and 6-5 in the NSIC.
In qualifying for the 2023 NSIC Tennis Tournament, Winona State has appeared in 23 of the last 24 NSIC postseason tournaments, dating back to 1998. The Warriors have earned the NSIC Team Title on eight occasions, third-most in the NSIC, with the most recent title coming in 2007.
For the most up-to-date news in Warrior Athletics, please visit:
www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and
@WinonaStateATH.
About Winona State University Athletics:
The Winona State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, as an integral part of the educational mission of the institution, is committed to offering opportunities to experience academic and athletic excellence for our student-athletes through two simple words:
Graduate Champions.
Fourteen Warrior programs compete at the NCAA Division II level within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Winona State University competes as an affiliate member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in the sport of women's gymnastics.
