The Peacock tennis team is 4-2 overall since returning to the courts in 2015. After a pair of losses to NCAA Division I foes Creighton and Northern Iowa, Upper Iowa has rolled to four straight victories in the Northern Sun. During UIU's current winning streak, the team has posted four consecutive 9-0 shutouts in Winona, Minn.
Upper Iowa has defeated Minnesota Crookston, Bemidji State, Minnesota State and Southwest Minnesota State over the last two weekends. The Peacocks will now challenge the St. Cloud State Huskies and the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs in a pair of NSIC duals in St. Cloud, Minn. this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27-28.
El O'Brien posted a 2-1 record at first singles for the Huskies last weekend and also charted a 2-1 record at first doubles to lead St. Cloud State. SCSU defefated Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State by identical 9-0 scores after dropping a 9-0 decision to Carleton (#26 NCAA DIII) last week. The team is 3-3 overall and 3-1 in the NSIC.
Shelby Benofske went 3-0 in both singles (No. 3) and doubles (No. 2) in helping the Bulldogs post three straight victories over Bemidji State (6-3), Minnesota Crookston (7-2) and Gustavus Adolphus (6-3) to run their winning streak to four matches. UMD is now 4-4 overall and 3-1 in the Northern Sun.
In singles,
Saki Kawabata and
Kelly Jachymowski are both 7-2 on the season, while
Iris Verweij is 6-3 for the year in duals. The trio, along with
Anna Okolot,
Victoria Kulbokas and
Yamit Vodavoz are all 4-0 in singles competition in the conference. In doubles, Verweij and Kawabata have combined for a 6-2 record overall and a 4-0 mark in the NSIC, while Vodavoz and Kulbokas (#2 doubles) and Jachymowski and Okolot (#3 doubles) have pair to go 4-0 with each other. The second and third doubles pairings for the Peacocks did not play together in the fall, but have hit it off in the spring season.
