A historic season comes to an end
It’s puzzling to think that a team with a 15-2 record is already done playing for the season, but that’s exactly what’s happening for Minnesota State tennis.
The Mavs put together an incredible season — one of its best in school history — but fell 4-0 to the Augustana Vikings in the finals of the NSIC Tournament.
The Mavs played two matches before their ultimate game with the Vikings. First up in the first round was Southwest Minnesota State.
The Mavs swept the Mustangs Friday morning to pick up their first win of the tournament, 4-0. To begin the day and the tournament, the Mavs swept the doubles matches to win the first point of the match.
Chiara Carnelutti and Freia Lawrence were able to win their No. 2 doubles match 6-0 while McKenna DeMarce and Elizabeth Felderman brought home a 6-1 win in the No. 3 doubles match, clinching the point. As a result, Lois Page and Avery Stilwell were not able to finish their match, as the Mavs had already clinched the majority of the points.
In the tournament, there was no time to be wasted, so all the Mavs needed to secure the win and finish their match was three more wins from the singles matches.
Carnelutti, DeMarce and Daria Podmogilnaia swept their singles matches, sealing the 4-0 win for MSU. Their next match was immediately revealed to them: University of Mary.
Again, the Mavs won two doubles matches to take the first point of Saturday’s match. Page and Stilwell were able to finish their match this time, winning the no. 1 doubles match 6-4, DeMarce and Felderman won 6-2 in the no. 3 doubles match and Carnelutti and Lawrence went unfinished.
DeMarce was then able to win the first of three Maverick points in the no. 6 singles match, Podmogilnaia won in the no. 5 singles and Lawrence swept the no. 2 singles match. This left Page, Carnelutti and Stilwell unfinished.
Wrapping up the matches they were supposed to win was the easy part, but now it was time to face the team they have been preparing all year for: Augustana; the two seed taking on the one seed. The NSIC Tournament Championship. This is what the Mavs were preparing for.
Unfortunately, the Mavs did not get out to a great start. Page and Stilwell fell 6-1 in the No. 1 doubles match, but DeMarce and Felderman rebounded by winning the No. 2 match 6-4. However, Lawrence and Carnelutti were unable to win the No. 3 match, and the Vikings took the first point.
DeMarce was the first Mav to go down in the singles matches, losing the No. 6 match before Stillwell also was not able to win in the No. 4 match. Finally, Podmogilnaia was defeated in the No. 5 singles match to seal the win for the Vikings. Page, Lawrence and Carnelutti were not able to finish their matches.
Only one team gets to go out with a win, and unfortunately it was just not meant to be for the Mavs. They end their season with a 15-2 record and take second place in the NSIC.
Header Photo: Minnesota State’s Women’s Tennis team fell 4-0 to Augustana in the NSIC tournament championship game. (Courtesy MSU Athletics)
Write to Hayden Lee at hayden.lee@my.smsu.edu