Beavers show fight, progress in loss to Mavericks
Apr. 4—BEMIDJI — The past few weeks have offered some stiff competition for the Beavers.
The Bemidji State women's tennis team has played some of the best the NSIC has to offer since March 21, including league-leading Augustana and third-place Sioux Falls. BSU also took on Minnesota Crookston in a rematch of a 5-2 loss back on Feb. 7.
The Beavers posted a 0-3 record against those three teams, though they bounced back into the win column with a pair of 7-0 wins over Bethany Lutheran College and Wisconsin-Stout last Saturday.
However, Bemidji State hopped right back into the teeth of the NSIC slate on Friday evening, welcoming second-place Minnesota State to the Gillett Wellness Center.
The Mavericks earned a 5-2 win over BSU, taking the doubles point with two wins and securing four victories in singles.
But the Beavers showed plenty of fight in the loss, securing two huge singles wins, snatching a victory in doubles and bringing a few additional matches to the brink.
"You're right there, that's encouraging," head coach Kyle Fodness said. "Both to know we can compete at that level and we can play at that level all the time. I think that's fun, tonight was fun. It was really good tennis, really aggressive, nobody I thought was sitting back passive. This is what college tennis should be."
Unsurprisingly, senior Sophie Groen was a standout. She picked up a massive win at No. 1 singles, defeating Freia Lawrence by scores of 6-3 and 6-4 in a highly competitive set.
Lawrence is a top-end talent in the conference, carrying only two singles losses on the season heading into her matchup with Groen.
"Great for Soph to step up like she can play and really be the attacker that she is," Fodness said. "She can make you uncomfortable with how fast she attacks, how quickly she transitions defense to offense, if she even is on defense. She's very good at stepping up and taking control.
"So it was big for the team. We've had a lot of conversations about belief, and with a younger team (with) good senior leadership — super senior leadership — sometimes you see that big dog step out on the court and just hammer that forehand, it opens it up for you to then have the courage to say, 'I'm going to play, I don't know if I'm going to win or not, but I'm gonna hit like I can hit, I'm going to play.'"
BSU's other strong performances came from underclassmen. Freshman Lauren Rutten picked up a nail-biter of a three-set win over Taina Cordeiro, winning by scores of 6-3, 2-6 and 10-8.
Sophomore Ana Lucía Ibáñez had a great night in both singles and doubles. She paired up with freshman Julia Lindseth at No. 3 doubles, defeating Sutton and Taylor Julsrud 6-4.
The pairing is a relatively new one. For much of the season, Ibáñez was teamed up with Valesca Rodriguez, but Fodness mixed up the pairings in hopes of "complimenting strengths."
"It's really new," Ibáñez said. "I think we played really good. I think I can be more like a leader in that double, and I think we're doing a good job because she's a really good player and she's been improving her game. … We've been having better communication and chemistry in the game."
Ibáñez was strong in singles as well, suffering a three-set loss to Elizabeth Felderman by scores of 4-6, 6-1 and 6-2.
She continued to flash her high ceiling in the defeating, impressing Fodness — and even teammates — with her top-end forehand.
Fodness is hoping that Ibáñez leans into the strength, consistently letting it loose.
"That's a forehand that a lot of (No. 1 singles) in our conference would be very fortunate to have," Fodness said. " So use it and hit it, go after it. If it's working it's working, if it's not, it's not, but let's not wonder, let's go hit it. If you're a three-point shooter, you shoot. If that's what you do, do it. … I see her teammates say 'Hey, let the big dog eat'. Why'd you bring your driver if you're not going to hit it? Hit it — hit the thing, you have that forehand, hit it, we all want to see it, so let it loose."
For Ibáñez, much of this season has been learning to gather the confidence to use her talents and sharpening the mental aspects of her game.
"This game is more about confidence and being better mentally prepared," Ibáñez said. "We all hit good forehand, we all hit good backhand, we all can serve. And even when you play against a worse player, you still have to be mentally tough, because you can still lose the match. It doesn't really matter who is a better player, because I think who wins the match is the one who is better mentally."
Minnesota State 5, Bemidji State 2
Singles
No. 1: Groen (BSU) def. Lawrence 6-3, 6-4
No. 2: Stilwell (MSU) def. Leshem 6-4, 6-1
No. 3: DeMarce (MSU) def. Rodriguez 6-1, 6-2
No. 4: Felderman (MSU) def. Ibáñez 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
No. 5: Rutten (BSU) def. Cordeiro 6-3, 2-6, 10-8
No. 6: Deml (MSU) def. Lindseth 6-0, 6-1
Doubles
No. 1: Lawrence/Stilwell (MSU) def. Groen/Leshem 6-0
No. 2: DeMarce/Felderman (MSU) def. Rodriguez/Rutten 6-3
No. 3: Ibáñez/Lindseth (BSU) def. T. Julsrud/S. Julsrud 6-4
