SUPERIOR, Wis. – Last Friday, the Yellowjacket women's tennis team was scheduled to host Northwestern at the Yellowjacket Outdoor Tennis Complex. There was only one problem – several inches of snow and ice covered the playing surface.

Fast forward six days, and the courts outside the Marcovich Wellness Center were not only free of snow, but also capable of hosting a crucial early-season match for the Yellowjacket women's tennis team. A staff willing to move snow and a pair of 70-plus degree days will do that.
 
The guests Thursday, the University of Northwestern, the two-time defending Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season and tournament champions.
 
The Yellowjackets were riding a three-match UMAC winning streak into play Thursday, but that streak came to a halt, as the Eagles downed the Yellowjackets 8-1. With the loss, the Yellowjackets are now 6-11 overall and 3-2 in the UMAC.
 
Andreina Tejada (Quito, Ecuador/Isaac Newton) provided the one point for the Yellowjackets, earning the win at No. 1 singles. Tejada improved to 7-9 on the year after defeating Northwestern's Annie Orvis 6-3, 7-6 (7-5 tiebreaker).
 
Also on the singles side, Jessi Kukowski (Duluth, Minn./Hermantown) nearly earned her ninth win of the season at No. 6 singles, but she fell just short against Northwestern's Analise Marquardt. Kukowski dropped the opening set 5-7 before winning the second set 7-6 (7-4 tiebreaker). Marquardt then took the tiebreaker to claim the match.
 
Northwestern swept the Yellowjackets in doubles play, shutting out the No. 1 tandem of Tejada and Courtney Brandt (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids Senior). Kukowski and Shelby Hanson (Albert Lea, Minn./Albert Lea Senior) played a strong match at No. 2 doubles, but Northwestern's Domiano Daideme and Elise Jarchow were too much, taking the match 8-4. At No. 3 doubles, the Northwestern team of Taylar Smith and Marquardt defeated Brooke Wilfong (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Tech) and Daylyn Drew (Negaunee, Mich./Negaunee) 8-2.
 
The Eagles clinched the win early in singles, getting wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 slots before Tejada got the Yellowjackets on the board. Northwestern then closed things out with wins at No. 5, No.4 and No. 6.
 
Next up for the Yellowjackets is a date with Bethany Lutheran College, set for Saturday, April 15. The opening serve will be at 1 p.m. at the Yellowjacket Outdoor Tennis Complex.