MARSHALL, Minn. -- In its final Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and regular season match of the 2009 slate the Bemidji State University women’s tennis team dropped a 5-4 decision to the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs on Saturday afternoon in Marshall, Minn.

The Mustangs took a commanding 3-0 lead out of the doubles matches, and would survive a late Beavers charge to claim the match by a 5-4 margin but not before the Beavers worked for a 4-2 win in singles play for the second consecutive match. BSU falls to 4-12 overall and 4-7 in NSIC play while the Mustangs are 3-12 overall and 2-6 in the conference.

Freshman Nicole Christiansen (Bemidji, Minn.) got BSU started sweeping Danielle Hidebrandt to claim a point at No. 2 singles (6-1, 6-1). Farrah Steinke (So., Crosby, Minn.) brought BSU to within 4-2 with a straight set win over Cailey Grupe at No. 3 singles (6-2, 7-5) for the Beavers second point of the match.

Bemidji State also earned wins at No. 5 and No. 6 singles positions, respectively. Julie Kapsner (Sr., Pierz, Minn.) won her match over Amy Daniels in straight sets (6-3, 6-4), while Amy Erickson (Sr., Roseau, Minn.) also earned a point for BSU at No. 6 singles with a straight set sweep of Angie Wiegmann (6-3, 6-2), but is was to little to late for the Beavers as they dropped their second consecutive match by a score of 5-4.

The Beavers will wait in anticipation next week as teams will be wrapping up their conference schedule while BSU is idle. Bemidji State currently has a hold on the eighth hand final playoff spot and will wait to see if they are headed to the NSIC Team Championships on Apr. 24-26 in Minneapolis, Minn.

The Beavers will wrap up Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action this weekend with a duel versus Southwest Minnesota State University on Saturday, Apr. 11 at 1 p.m. in Marshall, Minn.

Southwest Minnesota State 5, Bemidji State University 4
Apr 11, 2009 at Marshall, MN
Singles competition
1. Ananda Ferrari (SMSU) def. Kali Welu (BSU) 6-2, 6-0
2. Nicole Christiansen (BSU) def. Danielle Hidebrandt (SMSU) 6-1, 6-1
3. Farrah Steinke (BSU) def. Cailey Grupe (SMSU) 6-2, 7-5
4. Trisha Baldwin (SMSU) def. Kelli Christiansen (BSU) 7-5, 7-5
5. Julie Kapsner (BSU) def. Amy Daniels (SMSU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Amy Erickson (BSU) def. Angie Wiegmann (SMSU) 6-3, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Ananda Ferrari/Toni Pribyl (SMSU) def. Kali Welu/Kelli Christiansen (BSU) 8-2
2. Cailey Grupe/Trisha Baldwin (SMSU) def. Farrah Steinke/Cheyanne Maki (BSU) 8-5
3. Danielle Hidebrandt/Angie Wiegmann (SMSU) def. Kara Johnson/Miranda Milless (BSU) 8-4

Notes
Southwest Minnesota State 3-12; 2-6 NSIC
Bemidji State University 4-12; 4-7 NSIC

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