The Peacock tennis team faced off against the Bulldogs of the University of Minnesota Duluth in Winona, Minn. on Saturday afternoon. Upper Iowa won a pair of singles matches, but the Bulldogs claimed all the doubles points and four singles matches to post a 7-2 win. UIU falls to 1-7 on the season and 1-5 in the NSIC, while UMD improves to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the conference.
 
UMD's Shelby Benkofske and Megan Anderson edged Shakhnaza Zhanatova and Anna Okolot 9-8 (8-6) at No. 1 doubles, and the Bulldogs claimed an 8-1 win at No. 2 doubles and a win by forfeit at No. 3 doubles to jump out to a 3-0 lead.
 
Upper Iowa scored wins at No. 1 and No. 2 singles behind the play of Zhanatova and Okolot. Zhanatova defeated Benkofske 6-3, 6-3, while Okolot took down Anderson 6-1, 6-0. The Peacocks dropped matches at No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 in straight sets as Lara Peco, Lavanya Singh and Breanna Heichert all suffered losses. UMD got the final point of the dual with a forfeit by UIU at No. 6 singles.
 
The Peacocks will take the next three weeks off competition before returning to the courts in Winona, Minn. Upper Iowa will face Winona State University on Mar. 17 at 3:30 p.m.
  
University of Minnesota Duluth 7, Upper Iowa 2
Feb 23, 2018 at Winona, Minn. 

Doubles competition
1. Shelby Benkofske/Megan Anderson (UMD) def. Zhanatova,Shakhnaza/Okolot, Anna (UIU) 9-8 (8-6)
2. Elsa Erickson/Katie Baasch (UMD) def. Peco, Lara/Singh, Lavanya (UIU) 8-1
3. Isabel Thiner/Natalie Cahill (UMD) def. No player/No player (UIU), by forfeit
 
Singles competition
1. Zhanatova,Shakhnaza (UIU) def. Shelby Benkofske (UMD) 6-3, 6-3
2. Okolot, Anna (UIU) def. Megan Anderson (UMD) 6-1, 6-0
3. Elsa Erickson (UMD) def. Peco, Lara (UIU) 6-0, 6-0
4. Natalie Cahill (UMD) def. Singh, Lavanya (UIU) 6-1, 6-1
5. Katie Baasch (UMD) def. Heichert, Breanna (UIU) 6-1, 6-3
6. Isabel Thiner (UMD) def. No player (UIU), by forfeit