For Immediate Release
Sunday, April 26, 2015
NSIC Media Relations
NSIC/US Bank Tournament Website
PDF Bracket

Minnetonka, Minn. - Augustana defeated Upper Iowa 5-1 to win their fifth straight NSIC/US Bank Women's Tennis Tournament Championship. The Vikings now receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Central Region Tournament, which will take place on campuses on May 2-5.

The top seeded Vikings defeated fourth seeded Minnesota State 5-0 earlier on Sunday to advance to the championship, while Upper Iowa, the second seed, handed third seeded MSU Moorhead a 5-0 semifinal loss. All matches were played at Lifetime Fitness in Minnetonka, Minn.

In the championship, the Vikings took two of the three doubles matches, but Upper Iowa's Saki Kawabata and Iris Verweij pulled a major upset as they handed the duo of Jessa Richards and Sydney Postal their first loss of the season. Headed into the match the No. 1 doubles duo for Augustana was 21-0 on the season. 

Richards got back on track with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Verweij at No. 1 singles while Meredith Lawrence and Heather Sullivan took care of business at No. 5 and No. 6 singles to give Augustana the 5-1 win. 

The Vikings has now won 13 straight NSIC Tournament matches and 66 straight in conference play. The Vikings last loss in the NSIC Tournament was in 2010's championship match to St. Cloud State.

Singles competition

1. Richards, Jessa (AUGIE) def. Verweij, Iris (UIU) 6-1, 6-2

2. Postal, Sydney (AUGIE) vs. Kawabata, Saki (UIU) 6-3, 4-2, unfinished

3. Darr, Berkley (AUGIE) vs. Vodavoz, Yamit (UIU) 7-5, 2-2, unfinished

4. Helleberg, Jenna (AUGIE) vs. Okolot, Anna (UIU) 6-4, 2-5, unfinished

5. Lawrence, Meredith (AUGIE) def. Kulbokas, Victoria (UIU) 6-0, 6-1

6. Sullivan, Heather (AUGIE) def. Jachymowski, Kelly (UIU) 6-0, 6-4

Doubles competition

1. Kawabata, Saki/Verweij, Iris (UIU) def. Richards, Jessa/Postal, Sydney (AUGIE) 8-6

2. Darr, Berkley/Sullivan, Heather (AUGIE) def. Vodavoz, Yamit/Kulbokas, Victoria (UIU) 8-4

3. Helleberg, Jenna/Lawrence, Meredith (AUGIE) def. Okolot, Anna/Jachymowski, Kelly (UIU) 8-2

For more information go to www.NorthernSun.org/NSICTennis