SAINT PETER, Minn. - The Wildcat tennis team opened 2019-20 competition at the 2019 ITA Midwest Regional Championships and the Gustavus Fall Invite in St. Peter, Minn. on Friday and Saturday. Six student-athletes from St. Catherine appeared in the competitive ITA tournament, while the balance of the team competed in the Gusties invitational event. 

Senior Alisha Wiedmeier earned a first round bye in the top quarter draw of singles competition. Wiedmeier dropped her match to Megan Karrow of Gustavus 6-3, 6-4 to move onto the consolation singles top half draw. The two-time MIAC All-Conference selection won her first match in the back draw 6-2, 6-1 and her second 6-2,6-3 before falling 6-4, 6-4 in the third round. 

Senior Bri Dorr earned a singles first round bye. In her first match, B. Dorr defeated Grinnell's Emma Gaydos in three sets with scores of 6-2, 2-6, 6-2. Dorr dropped her second match 6-0,6-4 to Maggie Riermann of Bethel. 

First-year Sofia Walker competed in her first ITA Midwest Regional advancing to the third round. Walker won her first match 6-4, 6-1 followed by taking the second match with a score of 6-0, 6-1. In the round of 32 Walker fell to Paige Nierman, the singles semifinalist, 6-0, 6-1. 

Walker's fellow first-year, Kelsey Dorr made it to the third round of her draw. K. Dorr had a first round bye before defeating her opponent 6-0,6-0 in the second round. K. Dorr dropped her third round match 6-3, 6-2. 

Making an appearance in the ITA Midwest Regional consolation singles bottom half draw was senior Maddy Knoll who was defeated in the semifinal round. Knoll won her first match of the draw 6-3, 7-6 (6) and her second 7-5, 6-3. 

In the doubles draw event, Bri and Kelsey Dorr made it to the third round before falling to Paige and Taylor McLeod 8-6. The Dorr sisters defeated their first round pairing 8-1 and their second round opponent 8-0. 

Doubles team Alisha Wiedmeier and Aubrey Eckstrom along with Sofia Walker and Maddy Knoll played in the bottom half doubles draw both falling in the first round. Wiedmeier and Eckstrom were defeated 8-4 while Walker and Knoll lost 8-3. Both pairings moved onto the consolation round before each lost in their third matches. Wiedmeier and Eckstrom won their first match 8-2 and their second 8-4. Walker and Knoll had a bye and defeated their second round opponent 8-2. 

In the Gustavus Fall Invite, junior Ella Graham won the No. 1 draw. In her first match played as a 8 game pro set match, Graham won 8-5 followed by her second round defeat over Camilla Bendetti of Macalester 6-0,6-0. In the third round, Graham also defeated Katie Toomire of UW-Whitewater 6-0,6-0 to advance to the final round. Graham won the championship with set scores of 6-1 and 6-4. 

First-year Monica Zink had a good start to her career at St. Catherine making it to the third round of the No.2 draw at the Gustavus Fall Invite. Zink won her first match 8-4 and her second match 6-0, 6-0. 

In the No. 3 draw, first-year Elsa Joly make it to the third round as well falling in a tough match to the draw championship, Megan Setter 2-1 (6-2, 2-6, 5-10). Prior to making it to the third round, Joly defated Alyssa Guse 6-4, 6-2 in the second round. 

Eckstrom appeared in the Fall Invite in addition to the ITA tournament taking the first match of the No. 4 draw 8-2 before falling in her second match 6-2, 2-6, 10-5. 

Sophomore Reilee Schepper fell in the championship round of the No. 5 draw in a 2-1 match. Schepper battled for the win but fell to Morgan Graf of UW-Lacrosse 3-6, 6-1, 9-11. The second-year took her second match with a score of 6-1, 6-0 and her third, 7-5, 6-3. 

First-year Erin Loterbauer had a first round bye in the No. 6 draw consolation. Loterbauer won the second round match 8-3 and the third round match 8-2 before falling to Josie Carlson of Gustavus 8-0. 

Maggie Buechler fell in the first round of the No. 7 draw with a score of 8-3.and again in the consolation round, 8-3 to the consolation champion Marnie Sevier of Grinnell. 

Schepper and Zink appeared in the No. 1 draw of doubles competition getting a first round bye. Schepper and Zink won their match over UW-Eau Claire 8-2. 

In the second draw of doubles play, Graham and Joly won their second round match 8-1 before falling in the third round 8-2. Loterbauer and first-year Maggie Muecher had a first round bye before falling in the second round tie breaker 8-7 to conference foe Saint Mary's.