ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – After its fall season was shortened due to rain and cold weather, the College of Saint Benedict tennis team is ready to get the spring portion of its 2014-15 season under way this weekend.
The Blazers kick off the spring this Saturday, Feb. 21, when they take on Carleton College in a MIAC dual. The dual starts at 2:30 p.m. at the Owatonna Tennis Center in Owatonna, Minn.
Saturday's match marks the first action of the season for four members of Saint Benedict's roster who studied abroad during the 2014 fall semester. Juniors
Victoria Beach,
Megan Hintz and
Daley Rupar and sophomore
Rachel Raden return to the court for the Blazers after taking the first semester off.
The four returners join a young Blazer roster that includes three first years and three other sophomores.
Cassy Finn,
Taylor Kraemer and
Ellen Stensrud all saw their first collegiate action this past fall and sophomores
Emily Erickson,
Laura Finn and
MacKenzie Rixe provided guidance for the first years.
Rupar and
Laura Finn are CSB's two returning All-MIAC winners. Rupar was part of the all-conference doubles team as a sophomore in 2013-14 and
Laura Finn earned All-MIAC honors in both singles and doubles play. She was named MIAC Player of the Week after going 4-0 late in the season and helping CSB defeat St. Kate's and Concordia.
The Blazers finished the year 13-10 overall and 6-4 in the MIAC in 2013-14. CSB lost to St. Thomas in the first round of the postseason tournament and took fifth in the conference. The Blazers started the year 5-1 in dual meets and wrapped up the regular season on a four-match win streak, and all four wins came against MIAC opponents. CSB's biggest win of the season came on April 26 when it beat defending MIAC champion St. Kate's 5-4 in St. Joseph. The loss marked just the second conference loss of the year for the Wildcats.
Blazer head coach
Scott Larsen was named MIAC Coach of the Year for the second time in his eight-year tenure in 2013-14. He picked up his 100
th win as CSB's head coach when the Blazers beat Bemidji State 9-0 on March 22 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Saint Benedict played just two matches this fall against Luther College and Grinnell College. CSB lost both, which were played in early September in Decorah, Iowa. After Saturday's match against Carleton, the Blazers travel to Orlando, Fla., where they play four matches on their annual spring training trip. CSB opens its home season Saturday, March 14, when it hosts UW-Eau Claire at 9 a.m. at Fitness Evolution in St. Cloud, Minn.
