SIOUX FALLS S.D.- Augustana women's tennis (6-0, 4-0 NSIC) continues the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference season with home matchups against Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State on Saturday and Sunday at Greatlife Woodlake Athletic Club. The matches are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. on Sunday.  

Scouting the competition
Minnesota Crookston comes into the season with a 0-5 record, 0-5 in the NSIC. This past weekend the Golden Eagles are coming off a 7-2 defeat against Minnesota Duluth and a 9-0 loss to St. Cloud State. Minnesota Crookston are led by Catherine Brown and Whitney Erickson who both picked up singles victories last weekend. The Vikings defeated the Golden Eagles 9-0 in last years dual in Bemidji, Minn. Augustana never lost a game en route to their victory against the Minnesota Crookston.  

Bemidji State comes in with a 4-2 record on the season, 3-2 in the NSIC. Last weekend, the Beavers first defeated Minnesota Duluth 6-3 on Saturday, then fell 7-2 to St. Cloud State on Sunday. Zoe Lindgren and Morgan Opp lead a very strong Bemidji State squad. Lindgren comes into this weekend with a 5-1 record on the season including going 3-0 in No. 3 singles. Opp has a 4-1 record on the year including also going 3-0 in No. 3 singles. The duo also team up in doubles and are a perfect 6-0 in matches this year.

Augustana continued the conference season with sweeps of MSU Moorhead and U-Mary  
Augustana women's tennis continued the conference season with their fourth straight 9-0 sweeps of MSU Moorhead and University of Mary last weekend.

On Saturday, The Vikings didn't drop a game in the doubles session. Jessa Richards and Kornelia Staniszewska won over Jade Goodyear and Maria Moral in No. 1 doubles. Sydney Postal and Berkley Darr were victorious over Jessamy Jones and Ashley Wood in No. 2 doubles. Meredith Lawrence and Kaitlyn Motley in No. 3 doubles won over Morgan Smith and Ricquel Ramsbottom.   

In singles action, Richards got a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Jones in No. 1 singles. Staniszewska won in straight sets 6-2, 6-0 in No. 2 singles against Goodyear. In No. 3 singles, Postal won 6-1, 6-2 against Moral. Darr was victorious in No. 4 singles 6-1, 6-3 against Smith. Christine Olivo defeated Wood 6-2, 6-0 in No. 5 singles. Lawrence finished the sweep of MSU Moorhead with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Schmidt. This was the fourth sweep of the year for the Vikings.  

On Sunday, Jessa Richards and Kornelia Staniszewska won over Sarah Janes and Meredith Holt in No. 1 doubles 8-0. Sydney Postal and Berkley Darr were victorious over Catherine Gibbens and Eileen Leong in No. 2 doubles 8-2. Postal and Darr are 6-0 on the year in No. 2 doubles.  Meredith Lawrence and Kaitlyn Motley in No. 3 doubles won 8-1 over Anastasia Bruss and Monica Benda gain the doubles sweep.   

In singles action, Richards won in straight sets 6-0, 6-0 over Gibbens in No. 1 singles. Postal moved up to No. 2 singles and won her match against Janes 6-2, 6-3. Darr played in No. 3 singles for the first time this season and defeated Holt 6-2, 6-1. Lawrence improved to 2-0 in No. 4 singles with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Bruss. In No. 5 singles Christine Olivo won her match against Leong 7-5, 6-0. In her second appearance in a singles match this season Motley defeated Bensa 6-0, 6-0. This is the third time in four years Augustana has started the season 6-0.

Richard named NSIC Player of the Week
For the eighth time in her career, Jessa Richards has been named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tennis Player of the Week in a release from the conference on Tuesday. Richards this year is 4-1 in singles matches with her only loss was to Division I Jieke Stroobant from Northern Iowa. Teaming with Kornelia Staniszewska the duo are 5-1, winning the past two matches 8-0. Last year, Richards won player of the week honors four times en route to being named NSIC Player of the Year.

Rankings
Augustana opened the season at No. 49 in NCAA Division II ITA Preseason Poll. Staniszewska and Richards come in ranked at No. 7 in the doubles bracket. The doubles pair were also ranked at No. 1 in the central region. Staniszewska comes in ranked No. 7 in the singles division central region, while Richards comes in at No. 12.

Leading the Charge
Coming into his eighth season as the head of the Augustana women's tennis program, Marc Kurtz has established his team as the elite squad in the conference as well as picking up a host of awards for himself. Kurtz last year earned his fifth NSIC coach of the year title in six years. Kurtz guided the Vikings to a 21-4 mark on the season including an 11-0 mark on the NSIC and a fifth straight conference championship.  

Second Serve
Augustana travels to St. Joseph, Mo. next weekend for nonconference duals against Southwest Baptist and Northwest Missouri State