The Winona State University women’s tennis team completed its regular-season schedule Saturday with losses to Truman State (Mo.) and Minnesota-Duluth by identical 7-2 scores.
After winning five of its last six matches in March, with the lone loss coming to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference foe Upper Iowa, the Warriors are 0-for-April and on a three-match losing streak entering the NSIC championships in Minneapolis this Saturday and Sunday, when they will attempt to successfully defend the conference crown for the fourth consecutive year.
“We’ve been by far the dominant force; winning the conference hasn’t been too much of a challenge,” said WSU coach Megan Hertz, who, as a player with WSU last season, won NSIC titles in both No. 1 doubles and No. 2 singles for the third straight year. “I think losing to Upper Iowa (March 21) was a good little wake-up call. Conference isn’t going to be handed to us like it has been the past three years.”
Despite the losing streak, three players have been nearly unbeatable as of late for WSU.
Sophomore Erika Richae has won eight consecutive matches at No. 6 singles, including WSU’s lone singles victories against Truman (4-6, 7-5, 10-3) and UMD (6-2, 6-0). The Warriors’ dynamic duo of Heather Pierce and Mary Hesterman has won nine consecutive matches at No. 1 doubles, including WSU’s lone doubles victories against Truman (8-6) and UMD (9-7).
Richae, Pierce and Hesterman will undoubtedly play a big role this weekend.
“We know what to expect; we’ve seen all of the players now,” Hertz said. “It’s all going to come down to who wants it more.”
The WSU men’s team finished its regular season with an 8-1 loss to Truman State in nonconference play Saturday.
Tanner Bishop and Stuart Booth earned an 8-2 victory in No. 3 doubles to pick up the only win of the day for the Warriors, who enter the NCC championships April 25 in St. Cloud having lost nine of their past 10 matches.