ST. PETER, Minn. – The stretch run is an important time for most teams, but for the Yellowjacket women's tennis team, it holds a little more importance as they play for a chance to get into the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) tournament.
This weekend marks the final weekend of regular season play for 2023, and the Yellowjackets got things started on the right foot with a sweep of Crown Friday. The road trip continued Saturday with a stop in St. Peter, where the Yellowjackets played a pair of conference matches.
And the Yellowjackets went a long way toward cementing their position in the post-season derby, picking up a pair of big wins. In their first match of the day, the Yellowjackets defeated Martin Luther 7-2 before defeating Bethany Lutheran by the same score, 7-2.
With the victories, the Yellowjackets (10-11, 7-2 UMAC) remain in second place in the UMAC North Division, and they will close out the regular season with a match Sunday at first-place Northwestern.
Match One
The Yellowjackets got things rolling early, winning each of the three competitive doubles matches.
Andreina Tejada (Quito, Ecuador/Isaac Newton) and
Courtney Brandt (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids Senior) continued their strong run at No. 1 doubles, defeating Martin Luther's McKenzey Crowley and Sarah Hoffe 8-4. The win pushed Tejada and Brandt to a 9-3 record on the year, with all the matches played at No. 1 doubles.
The duo of
Shelby Hanson (Albert Lea, Minn./Albert Lea Senior) and
Jessi Kukowski (Duluth, Minn./Hermantown) were victorious at No. 2 doubles, taking down Josephine Bieberitz and Charis Glende 8-6. At No. 3 doubles,
Daylyn Drew (Negaunee, Mich./Negaunee) and
Brooke Wilfong (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Tech) defeated Abigail Schewe and Katie Kutz, also by a score of 8-6.
In singles play Tejada led the charge, sweeping Crowley at No. 1 singles with a clean card, 6-0, 6-0. Brandt picked up a straight-sets win at No. 2 singles, upending Bieberitz 6-4, 6-4.
At No. 4 singles,
Haley Quick (Kenosha, Wis./Indian Trail High School and Academy) won in straight sets, defeating Glende 7-5, 6-1. The final win of the day for the Yellowjackets came at No. 5 singles, where
Jessi Kukowski (Duluth, Minn./Hermantown) defeated Schewe in a marathon match, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 1-0 (10-6).
Match Two
For the second time in a week, the Yellowjackets took on Bethany Lutheran Saturday. The teams met Monday in Superior, with the Yellowjackets picking up the 9-0 win. It was more of the same Saturday, as the Yellowjackets rolled past the Vikings again.
The Yellowjackets rolled to a sweep in doubles play, making quick work of Bethany Lutheran. Kukowski and Hanson need less than a half hour to defeat Kaitlyn Berreau and Elissa Moonen at No. 2 doubles, 8-0. Not long after, Quick and Wilfong teamed for an 8-1 over Hannah LeMay and Addi Quern at No. 3 doubles. Tejada and Brandt closed out the doubles sweep in the No. 1 slot, defeating Sailor Mohlenbrock and Emily Yehle 8-4.
Tejada earned her second win of the day at No. 1 singles, defeating Mohlenbrock in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. Quick clinched the win for the Yellowjackets, making quick work of Moonen at No. 4 singles, 6-3, 6-1.
After losing her singles match against Martin Luther, Wilfong rebounded to get the win for the Yellowjackets to put them up 6-0. Wilfong defeated Berreau 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 at No. 3 singles.
Kukowski delivered the final victory of the day for the Yellowjackets, winning 6-0, 6-2 over LeMay at No. 5 singles.
The Yellowjackets close the regular season Sunday at Northwestern. The first serve is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Johnson Tennis Complex in St. Paul.
