BEMIDJI, Minn. – Just like how the fall season started, the Bemidji State University Women's Tennis team will open the 2023 spring season right at home when they face Minnesota Crookston this Thursday evening starting at 5 p.m. at the Gillett Center.

The Beavers didn't have to travel far in the fall, as they hosted both Wisconsin-River Falls and MSU Moorhead, both on Sep. 17. This will be the first of two home matches for Bemidji State, as they will also welcome Minnesota State to the Gillett Center on Apr. 14.

BSU split their two matches in the fall defeating Wisconsin-River Falls (6-3), before falling to MSU Moorhead (6-1). It was a strong showing against the Falcons with Blanca Lopez-Oro, Nicoleta Anestiadi, Laura Burger and Lexi Leitner all winning their singles matches. Then in doubles, Lopez-Oro/Burger claimed the win at the top-flight, while Lily Jones/Leitner picked up the win at No. 3.

It will be a younger class for the Beavers this year with just two players on the team being juniors in Sophie Green and Isabela Nelson. Anestiadi, Leitner and Jones are all back as sophomores, while Lopez-Oro, Burger and Emilia Sand are freshmen.

The Beavers went 7-7 overall, picking up four conference wins last season. BSU dominated at home going 4-1 that included conference wins against Upper Iowa and Minnesota Crookston. The regular season went right down to the final match, as Bemidji State tied for the final spot to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championships but lost the tiebreaker to St. Cloud State.

BSU begins the spring against the Golden Falcons. The Beavers have dominated the series since 1998 going 25-1 that includes a 15-match winning streak. Bemidji State is 21-0 at home during that time in the series.

To close the opening week of the spring season, Bemidji State will travel to Duluth to face Minnesota Duluth at 12 p.m. and College of St. Scholastica at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Both matches will be played in Duluth.

The Bulldogs hold the 26-10 series record since 1994, but the Beavers are 7-3 over the last 10 matchups. During the last meeting, BSU rolled to the 6-1 victory that was played in Grand Forks. From 2015-2018, the Beavers won six straight meetings.

To close the trip, the Beavers will face the Saints. This will be the first meeting since 2011 that was also played in Duluth with College of St. Scholastica claiming the 5-4 win that was also played in Duluth. The Saints have won the last nine meetings. Since 1992, College of St. Scholastica is 9-6-1 in the series, with the Beavers going 6-0-1 over the first seven meetings.
 

For more information on the Bemidji State athletic programs, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeavers), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers).

Nestled in Northern Minnesota's wooded region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's and women's hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).