With many spring sports coming near the closing stretch of their seasons, one of such is the Winona State University women’s tennis season. The Warriors started their season all the way back in September, and looking back, a period of growth has followed the Warriors to the present.
Halle Rosentreter, an upper-class standout on the team, talked about the preparation done in the earlier season and how it impacted their current play.
“We’ll have like, heavier lifts, like in season, lifts are not as intense as the preseason lifts are in the fall,” she said. “We also have scrimmages that we do to get ready for competition. Like, you can play your teammates, but it’s totally different playing outside competition.”
With the Warriors conference schedule reaching its finale at Minnesota State University – Mankato, they had only played two regular season home meets. Clara Thoemke, another upperclassman standout with eleven double wins this season, discussed the impact on the team’s mindset during these road trips.
“So, travel days are hard days, especially when we’re playing a match after traveling, sometimes up to six hours,” she said. “Once you get off that van, you must get the headspace that you’re about to play the match you can’t lose.”
The Winona State University Tennis team faced their final match of the regular season against Minnesota State-Mankato. The Mavericks were one of the top teams in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) standings, with an overall record of 11-2 and a conference record of eight wins and just one loss. They only trailed behind the Augustana Vikings, who are perfect in the conference.
Thoemke talked about the preparation the team went through before conference play.
“It is a pretty rigorous schedule. So, this puts us in shape, not only physically, but mentally as well, because it’s a very mental game when you’re playing honestly four back-to-back matches…, and if your body is starting to feel it, you must be there mentally,” she said.
The Warriors faced a tough matchup against the Mavericks, a team who has reached a three-game winning streak since dropping their match against Augustana Vikings on March 29. The doubles series between the Mavericks and the Warriors was knotted even at 1-1. After wins for the Mavericks duo of Avery Stillwell and Freia Lawerence and the Winona State team of Skylar Gary and Alexandra Madjun. The final doubles match fell in the Mavericks favor, with the pair of Hana Minisy and Taina Cordeiro winning a duel against Thoemke and Ally Burger.
Winona State competed hard against Minnesota State in the singles matches. Gary was the sole Warrior to pick up a victory in the singles portion of the matchup. The Warriors would unfortunately lose the match against the Mavericks 6-1. However, they now look ahead towards potential postseason action.
The Warriors sit at a 7-12 record overall, with a 3-6 conference record. They now look towards the NSIC Tournament for an opportunity to compete against the NSIC’s finest.
Rosentreter talked about Winona State’s path to reaching the NSIC Tournament, “That’s definitely going to influence whether we actually get to go,” she said. “So, we’re still waiting to hear back, based off this weekend’s matches.”
To reach the qualifying six team threshold for the tournament, Winona State will need some factors to fall in their favor. There are currently four teams in the NSIC with three conference wins. The Warriors will need two of the three to remain at three wins to reach the NSIC tournament.
