By: Tom Berg, MSUM Assistant AD for Media Relations

MINNETONKA, Minn. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead women's tennis team advanced to the semifinals of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament with a 5-2 win over St. Cloud State in first-round action Saturday at LifeTime Fitness in Minnetonka, Minn.

MSUM is now 10-9 on the season and will face Upper Iowa in the semifinals at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday.

"After this win we've achieved all the goals I set for the program this year – top three in the conference, a regional ranking and going one more round in the tourney than last year," MSUM head coach Oliver Summers said. "Now I'm excited for us to compete tomorrow and come up with a big upset win."

MSUM won two of three doubles matches. Senior Andrea Rognlien and junior Morgan Smith teamed up for an 8-4 win over Abigail Kantor and Alexie Portz, 8-4 at No. 1 doubles. At No. 2 doubles, junior Ashley Wood and sophomore Jessamy Jones picked up an 8-4 win over El O'Brien and Marillia Diversi, 8-4.

The Dragons won three of the four singles matches that were completed. Rognlien beat O'Brien, 6-0, 6-4 at No. 1 singles while Jones rolled past Kantor, 6-4, 6-1 at No. 2 singles. Sophomore Rebecca Lukes beat Miranda Wynkoop, 6-2, 6-3 at No. 6 singles.

MSUM lost at No. 5 singles. No. 3 and No. 4 singles went unfinished with the outcome of the overall match already decided.

The Dragons will face Upper Iowa in the semifinals on Sunday at 8 a.m.

MSU Moorhead 5, St. Cloud State 2

Singles competition

1. Rognlien, Andrea (MSUM) def. O'Brien, El (SCSU) 6-0, 6-4

2. Jones, Jessamy (MSUM) def. Kantor, Abigail (SCSU) 6-4, 6-1

3. Smith, Morgan (MSUM) vs. Diversi, Marilia (SCSU) 7-5, 4-5, unfinished

4. Wood, Ashley (MSUM) vs. Voelker, Jamie (SCSU) 1-6, 3-6, 3-3, unfinished

5. Portz, Alexie (SCSU) def. Smith, Cassie (MSUM) 6-3, 6-0

6. Lukes, Rebecca (MSUM) def. Wynkoop, Miranda (SCSU) 6-2, 6-3

Doubles competition

1. Smith, Morgan/Rognlien, Andrea (MSUM) def. Kantor, Abigail/Portz, Alexie (SCSU) 8-4

2. Wood, Ashley/Jones, Jessamy (MSUM) def. O'Brien, El/Diversi, Marilia (SCSU) 8-4

3. Voelker, Jamie/Matson, Jordee (SCSU) def. Smith, Cassie/Lukes, Rebecca (MSUM) 8-5