BEMIDJI, Minn.-  Head Women's Tennis Coach Ryan McGuigan and his six tennis players took a short trip down the Highway 2 to take on Southwest Minnesota State University, followed by Minnesota State University – Mankato in Bemidji, Minn.

First of all, the Golden Eagles sent Catherine Brown (Jr., Powell Butte, Ore./Animal Science) and Whitney Erickson (Fr., Spring Valley, Minn./Elementary Education) against the No. 1 Mustang doubles Gabby Tellijohn/Katie Kienitz. The UMC duo put up the toughest battle of the doubles, but their effort was unfortunately not enough. SMSU took the first doubles by the score of 8-4.

No. 2 doubles featured Christina Smith (Fr., Oylen, Minn./Communication) with Nikki Dogan (Fr., Grand Forks, N.D./Health Science) for the University of Minnesota Crookston, facing Southwest Minnesota State University's Crystal Overbaugh/Ashley Hoehne. Neither Smith nor Dogan could figure out a way to get to Overbaugh/Hoehne and
succumbed 0-8.

The third doubles played by Chelsea Burrows (So., Eagan, Minn.) and Rachelle Alcini (Sr., Ann Arbor, Mich./Health Science) were up against Mariya Krumm/Nicole McQueen, who came up on top 8-1.

Brown led the Golden Eagles at No. 1 singles, and she came up victorious over Tellijohn, defeating her easily 6-0 and 6-1.

Erickson continued with the winning mentality, controlling the first game 6-2 against Overbaugh and stealing the
second one closely, 7-5.

Not for lack of trying, the UMC ladies were unable to defeat any other SMSU singles. Third singles featured Smith against Kienitz, falling twice 1-6.

Dogan, the fourth single, could not find a way through Krumm's play and suffered a 0-6, 0-6 loss.

Alcini fought in a similar way Smith did, but giving up two 1-6 games to Hoehne.

Last, but not least, Burrows faced McQueen at the no. 6 singles, with McQueen celebrating a 6-1 and 6-0 loss over UMC's 6th single Burrows.

The overall victory for the Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs is their fifth on the season, setting them at 5-13 record.

Later that very afternoon, the Golden Eagles were put up to a challenge against the Minnesota State University Mankato. UMC is looking for their first win on the season, and taking it from the Mavericks would be fairly tough, given they were 5-9 before facing the Golden Eagles.

First doubles taking on the Mavericks' duo Killian Doran/Sarah McCann were again Brown and Erickson. They repeated a score from their earlier double of the day, putting up four points, but did not come on top, falling 4-8.

The second doubles Dogan/Burrows could not put up as good of a fight as the first UMC doubles, and fell short 0-8 to Melissa Mashburn/Destiny Lee.

The third doubles could not be played, resulting in MSU-M's Lisa Dobbelaere/Andrea Erdman. Christina Smith's injury did not allow her to play, resulting in Maverick "walkover."

Brown at first singles faced Killian Doran, getting away with a win in the first game, 6-7. With a good fight, Brown went down, after suffering 5-7 and 9-11 losses.

Erickson faced Mashburn and after losing 1-6, dropped the second game 0-6.

At the no. 3 singles, UMC Dogan's effort fell short, giving her two 0-6 losses against Lee.

Fourth single Alcini was matched with Lisa Dobbelaere, but could not get more than 0-6 and 1-6 losses on the day.

The last singles played, the fifth ones, were featuring Burrows against Andrea Erdman, posting the same score as Alcini, 0-6 and 1-6.

With Christina Smith's injury, the sixth singles could not be played, letting Mavericks get away with another "walkover."

With the two meets on the day for the Golden Eagles, McGuigan and his squad are preparing for their last matches of the season, on April 17 in Grand Forks, again McGuigan's alma matter UND.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

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The University of Minnesota Crookston is a NCAA Division II university located in the Red River Valley of Northwest Minnesota. UMC sponsors 11 intercollegiate athletic teams with membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate conference (NSIC) and the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). The NSIC is a 16-team conference with schools situated in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.