MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – South Dakota women's tennis played well over the course of the three-day Minnesota Gopher Invitational held at Baseline Tennis Center Friday through Sunday.
 
Seven Coyotes had 2-1 singles marks over the three-day competition and in total the team posted a 14-9 singles mark during the invite.
 
South Dakota won a pair of draws in doubles play and posted a combined 9-11 record in doubles competition during the invite against teams like Minnesota of the Big Ten, Marquette of the Big East along with St. Thomas, North Dakota and Northern Iowa.
 
"It was fun competing in Minneapolis the last three days," coach Brett Barnett said. "The team had another successful event. 
 
"We did a great job playing with energy and playing for each other again every day."
 
Bea Havlickova and Estella Jaeger teamed to win a pair of matches on the opening day on Friday, posting wins over Minnesota and North Dakota.
 
Havlickova then teamed with Maya Arksey on day two to go 2-0 with wins over Marquette and Northern Iowa.
 
Grace Chadick and Paige Alter split a pair of matches in doubles play on the first two days and did the same on Sunday playing with different partners as Chadick paired with Sydney Weinbeg to defeat St. Thomas and Alter played with Sonia Skobkareva and posted a win over Marquette.
 
"Bea and Estella played some great doubles again on day one winning their draw while beating Minnesota's top team in their final," said Barnett. "We mixed it up a little on day two and it was fun seeing Bea and Maya go undefeated and win another flight.
 
"Grace and Paige had chances to beat MN on day one and learned from that experience and got a big win over the Gophers on Day two."
 
The Coyotes played well in singles play for the second straight tournament this fall as Skobkareva, Alter, Eesha Varma, Havlickova, Weinberg, Anna Medvyedyeva and Arksey all posted 2-1 marks over the three-day event.
 
Six of the team's nine singles setbacks came at the hands of the Big Ten's Minnesota Gophers.
 
"We played very well in singles as a team and had multiple wins over a Marquette team that made the Big East Semis last year," said Barnett. "The matches we lost to Minnesota, everyone saw that this is our level, we belong, and we had chances in every single match. 
 
"The fun thing with this team is they are not content being close with a Big 10 team and believes we can and should win those matches.  We're making nice strides in everyone's games and committed to keep improving."
 
South Dakota will next compete in the Colorado State Fall Invite Sept. 30-Oct. 2 in Fort Collins, Colorado.