BEMIDJI, Minn. (BHS Courts) -- The Bemidji State University tennis team opened its fall season with a pair of 9-0 victories Saturday at the Bemidji High School Courts.  After a non-conference sweep of University of Wisconsin-River Falls in morning play, BSU posted a 9-0 win over Concordia College in the afternoon match.

Sophomore Shaelyn Johnson got the Beavers on the board early versus Wisconsin-River Falls. She posted a 6-0, 6-0 victory at No. 2 singles to kickstart the singles sweep. Newcomers Nicoleta Anestiati (6-1, 6-2) and Amber Schneider (6-0, 6-2) followed suit in the No. 3 and No. 4 singles matches. Sophie Groen recorded the first of her four wins on the day, 6-3, 6-3 in the top singles match, tipping the match in BSU's favor, 5-0, before Laney Rutkowski and Taylor Offerdahl wrapped up singles play with 6-4, 6-4 and 6-1, 6-1 straight-sets victories at No. 5 and No. 6, respectively.

Groen and Johnson, BSU's top doubles pair from a year ago, teamed up again to open the season with a 8-0 victory on the No. 1 doubles court. The duo was followed by an 8-1 victory by freshman and Bemidji native Lexi Leitner and Bela Nelson in the No. 3 doubles match. Anestiati and Anri Sakakibara combined to form BSU's No. 2 doubles pair and earned an 8-4 win to complete the 9-0 victory.

The Beavers were equally dominant in the nightcap despite dealing with some slight rain delays.

BSU's doubles teams pushed the Beavers out in front 3-0 over Concordia. Anestiati and Sakakibara collected their second doubles win posting an 8-0 victory at No. 2 doubles. Nelson and Schneider recorded an 8-1 win on the No. 3 court before BSU's top pair of Groen and Johnson finished doubles play with an 8-3 win.

Anestiati got singles play underway with a straight sets (6-1, 6-1) victory at No. 3 singles. Rutkowski blanked the Cobbers' No. 6 singles player 6-0, 6-0 to give the Beavers the fifth point in the match, earn the team win and officially improve to 2-0 on the season. Johnson (6-4, 6-2) and Groen (7-5, 6-3) continued with wins on the No. 2 and No. 1 courts, respectively. Schneider (6-4, 6-0) at No. 4 and Sakakibara (6-1, 6-4) at No. 5 closed out the match with wins to bring the final score to 9-0.

Now 2-0 on the 2021-22 season, BSU may add another non-conference match or two before packing it up for the fall. Traditionally, the Beavers open championship season play in February.

--bsu--