For the second straight year, the Peacock tennis team reached the NSIC/US Bank Women's Tennis Championship match after defeating the Sioux Falls Cougars 5-1 on Sunday morning. 
 
Upper Iowa, the second seed, went on to drop a 5-0 decision to the top seed, Augustana, in the finals to finish as the runner up in both the regular season and conference tournament. UIU's record now stands at 13-9 on the season including a 10-1 mark during the NSIC regular season.
 
The top two doubles teams for UIU picked up wins against USF. The No. 1 team of Saki Kawabata and Isabella Sella defeated their opponents 8-1, while the No. 2 tandem of Kelly Jachymowski and Anna Okolot controlled their match to the tune of an 8-0 victory. In singles competition against the Cougars, three victories propelled UIU to the NSIC Championship. Kawabata took care of business at No. 1 with a 6-1, 6-1 victory, while Jemina Linn Sorman battled for a tiebreaker victory in set one, but was solid in set two for a 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 victory at No. 4. Okolot secured the victory at No. 5 singles, 6-0, 6-2. 
 
Against the Vikings in the championship, Upper Iowa put up a battle at No. 1 doubles, but Kawabata and Sella came up just short at 8-5. Augustana earned wins in all three doubles matches, as well as at No. 3 and 6 singles for a 5-0 decision. 
 
Upper Iowa will now wait to see if they have done enough this season to be selected as one of the top four at-large teams in the NCAA's Central Region. The NCAA women's tennis selections for this year's postseason will be announced on Tuesday, May 3, at 7 p.m. (CT) at www.NCAA.com.
 
Upper Iowa 5, Sioux Falls 1
 
Singles competition
1. Kawabata, Saki (UIU) def. Joey Wenborg (SF) 6-1, 6-1
2. Sella, Isabella (UIU) vs. Alison Kauss (SF) 3-6, 7-5, 2-0, unfinished
3. Jachymowski, Kelly (UIU) vs. Emily Erickson (SF) 6-2, 4-3, unfinished
4. Sorman, Jemina Lynn (UIU) def. Stacey Beard (SF) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
5. Okolot, Anna (UIU) def. Kara Bunkers (SF) 6-0, 6-2
6. Prokopyshyn, Yulia (UIU) vs. Kyle Simons (SF) 2-6, 4-3, unfinished
 
Doubles competition
1. Kawabata, Saki/Sella, Isabella (UIU) def. Alison Kauss/Emily Erickson (SF) 8-1
2. Jachymowski, Kelly/Okolot, Anna (UIU) def. Joey Wenborg/Kara Bunkers (SF) 8-0
3. Stacey Beard/Abby Seigenthaler (SF) def. Sorman, Jemina Lynn/Prokopyshyn, Yulia (UIU) 8-3
 
Augustana 5, Upper Iowa 0
 
Singles competition
1. Staniszewska, Kornel (AUGIE) vs. Kawabata, Saki (UIU) 6-2, 4-1, unfinished
2. Richards, Jessa (AUGIE) vs. Sella, Isabella (UIU) 6-3, 4-1, unfinished
3. Postal, Sydney (AUGIE) def. Jachymowski, Kelly (UIU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Darr, Berkley (AUGIE) vs. Sorman, Jemina Lynn (UIU) 6-3, 3-2, unfinished
5. Olivo, Christine (AUGIE) vs. Okolot, Anna (UIU) 6-1, 4-3, unfinished
6. Lawrence, Meredith (AUGIE) def. Prokopyshyn, Yulia (UIU) 6-0, 6-0
 
Doubles competition
1. Staniszewska, Kornel/Richards, Jessa (AUGIE) def. Kawabata, Saki/Sella, Isabella (UIU) 8-5
2. Postal, Sydney/Darr, Berkley (AUGIE) def. Jachymowski, Kelly/Okolot, Anna (UIU) 8-2
3. Lawrence, Meredith/Motley, Kaitlyn (AUGIE) def. Sorman, Jemina Lynn/Prokopyshyn, Yulia (UIU) 8-0