MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – It was a strong opening weekend of tennis for the South Dakota women's team during the Gopher Invitational played at the Baseline Tennis Center.
 
The Coyotes posted a stellar combined record between singles and doubles of 36-11 over the three-day event, going 20-3 in singles and 16-8 in doubles. The singles mark included a 7-0 sweep on Sunday's third day of competition.
 
"Great first tournament of the year for the team," coach Brett Barnett said. "They've been training hard and we've looked good in practice but you never know in the first tournament how you're actually going to play.
 
"This team is very deep and that may be our biggest strength this year."
 
Five of the eight Coyotes that participated went unbeaten in singles play and the other three only lost one singles match. That combined with solid doubles play that saw Grace Chadick and Anna Medvyedyeva go 6-0 led to an impressive opening weekend of tennis among the seven teams that competed.
 
"Everyone played great tennis and competed very well," said Barnett. "There has been a big emphasis on improving our doubles and playing a more aggressive brand of tennis and we did a great job with that."
 
Chadick, a junior and Medvyedyeva, a sophomore, posted 2-0 marks in doubles play on all three days, getting two wins over Northern Iowa and one apiece over North Dakota, St. Thomas, Omaha and Marquette.
 
Paige Alter and Amanda de Oliveira posted a 4-2 doubles mark while the other two South Dakota teams, Sorcha Caves and Bea Havlickova along with Selena Bird and Hitakamya Narwal, went 3-3.
 
"Anna and Grace go 6-0 and complement each other on court so well," said Barnett. "Our other teams did great and we were playing points on our terms and not reacting."
 
The Coyotes strong singles play saw them only drop matches to Minnesota, going 2-3 in those matches. The team went 3-0 against St. Thomas, 6-0 against Marquette, 2-0 against Northern Iowa, 6-0 against Omaha and 1-0 against North Dakota.
 
Alter, a fifth-year senior, Bird, a sophomore, along with a pair of freshmen in de Oliveira and Narwal all went 3-0 in singles play and Chadick was 2-0. Caves, a freshmen, Havlickova, a junior and Medvyedyeva each posted 2-1 marks during singles play.
 
"I'm so proud of how we played in singles each day," said Barnett. "Everyone was tired, but just went to work and got through matches quick and easy.
 
"The freshmen went a combined 8-1 which is amazing. Sorcha has such a big game and played well. Amanda beats Minnesota twice and is getting better and better each day. Bea played well all weekend and finished very strong against Marquette."
 
The Coyotes will continue their fall season this weekend at the Drake Fall Invite in Des Moines. The three-day event begins on Friday.
 
"I love how this team fights for each other and how supportive they are," Barnett added. "There are definitely things to work on and improve but what a start and I can't wait to build on this tournament and continue to improve."