Results

ST. PETER, MINN. – The St. Catherine University tennis team has been busy this fall season, competing in several scrimmages through the month of September. This past weekend, the Wildcats closed out their fall season by competing in the ITA Midwest Regional Tournament and the Gustie Fall Invite and had several players advance to the later rounds of their respective draws.

St. Kate's had three individuals compete in singles play at the ITA Regional Tournament, including returning All-Conference honorees Julia Sporer (Rogers, Minn. / Rogers) Alisha Wiedmeier (Rapid City, S. D. / Stevens) and Bri Dorr (Princeton, Minn. / Princeton). While all three Wildcats lost in the opening round, all three made strong showings in the consolation bracket. After losing in the opening round, Sporer battled but ultimately fell to Macalester's Claire Buehler 6-4, 6-1. Wiedmeier pushed Bethel's Sami Hindt to three sets in her first round of the tournament, but lost 2-6, 6-3, 7-10 before being eliminated in the consolation tournament.

Dorr made the farthest run in singles play for St. Kate's despite losing her opening match 1-6, 6-4, 6-10. The sophomore beat Ellen Stensrud of Saint Ben's 4-6, 6-2, 11-9 in consolation play before being eliminated 6-2, 6-4 in the next round.

These three individuals also competed in the ITA doubles tournament, with Wiedmeier and Dorr advancing all the way to the championship round of their bracket. After dropping their opening match of the tournament, the sophomores rattled off three straight wins in consolation play to advance to the championship match. Wiedmeier and Dorr battled in the final match but ultimately fell on 9-7 on a break in the final set.

Sporer and Aubrey Eckstrom (St. James, Minn. / St. James) made their doubles debut at the ITA tournament. The two teammates fell 8-2 in both the opening round and the second round of the consolation tournament.

The Wildcats also found quite a bit of success in the Gustie Fall Invite, as two student-athletes advanced to the championship match of their respective singles draw. First year Ella Graham (Madison, S.D. / Madison) impressed in her St. Kate's debut, as she advanced to the championship match with wins against tennis athletes from Wartburg, UW-Whitewater and Central Friday afternoon. Championship results were not available Monday morning.

Jessica Duda (St. Michael, Minn. / St. Michael-Albertville) looked strong in her draw at the Gustie Fall Invite and was the second Wildcat to advance to the championship match of her draw. Duda upset UW-Whitewater's Madeline Slicker 6-3, 6-2 in the championship match to win her draw.

Maddy Knoll (Waseca, Minn. / Waseca) won the consolation championship of her draw after falling to UW-Whitewater's Jazmyne Shoeller in the opening round of her tournament. The sophomore defeated Northwestern's Gracie LeBuen 8-5 in the championship match.

Eckstrom also found success in singles play at the Gustie Fall Invite, advancing to the quarterfinal round of her draw. The sophomore defeated players from Edgewood and Simpson before falling to St. Olaf's Ellie Bergstrand 6-2, 6-3.

Leah Obert (Inver Grove Heights, Minn. / Simley) and Ruth Rike (Pine City, Minn. / Pine City) both competed in the Gustie Fall Invite over the weekend. Obert won her opening match 8-5 before losing the second round 6-3, 6-2. Rike battled but fell in the opening round 8-4.

Both Wildcat doubles team advanced to the quarterfinal rounds of their respective draw. Graham and Knoll won two straight matches before losing to Gustavus' Kyorte Harra and Sarah Link 8-6, while Duda and Obert eventually lost to UW-LaCrosse's Shira Busch and Maddie Bahr 8-4 in the quarterfinal.