CSB tennis rises up MIAC standings as playoffs near

As of this week, the Bennie tennis team sits at fourth place in the MIAC rankings after shutting out Hamline in St. Paul on April 1 with an overall match score of 9-0.

The Bennies, who are 5-1 this season in conference play and 8-3 overall, are only getting stronger as they near the MIAC playoffs. Senior Maria Bedford has been leading the team all season, boasting an overall record of 11-0 and 6-0 in the MIAC. She added her eleventh straight win over the weekend against Hamline, where she won 6-0 and 6-3 against the same opponent.

“My goal for the season is to help my team make it to the playoffs and make a good run. We got out in the first round last season, so I would love to see us go farther this year,” Bedford said.

Bedford said she is focusing on having fun and enjoying her final season, which has reduced the pressure and helped her find success this season. Junior Jane Bodensteiner has also been a standout player this season, earning CSB Athlete of the Week last week for her efforts. Bodensteiner boasts a 10-1 overall record this season, only one match behind Bedford.

“Every match has been competitive…I think playing with such competitive players every day in practice keeps me on my toes,” Bodensteiner said.

Bodensteiner had her sixth straight victory over the weekend against the Pipers. Sophomore Greta Nesbit also improved her season record to 8-3 over the weekend, increasing her MIAC record to 6-0.

“My season has been pretty good so far, but there is always room for improvement… My goal for the rest of the year is to just keep getting better every match and doing what I can to help the team win,” Nesbit said.

The Bennies have won 25 of the last 28 matches they’ve played. In the 12 matches they have played, the women sit at a 48-19 overall in singles, and boast a 30-6 conference record. The Bennies also sit at 25-9 for their doubles overall record, and 13-5 in conference play.

“One of the reasons for our success this season is the addition of [head coach] Jack Bowe, who has a keen eye for areas we need to improve on and brings a calming presence to the team,” Bedford said.

Bowe became the head coach for CSB this season but is continuing his role as the SJU tennis head coach, as well.

“Being coached by Jack has been an awesome experience. He is extremely knowledgeable about the game, and I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from him,” Bodensteiner said.

The doubles team of Bodensteiner and Bedford picked up another victory this weekend, moving to a team record of 9-1 overall and 5-0 in the conference. Bowe says the season has been exciting with how well the team has been doing. He attributes a lot of that success to the depth of the team and their ability to compete strongly at each level in each match. The doubles teams of Ashley Tarrolly and Peyton Kopel, as well as Anne Bowe and Sophia Jonas, also picked up wins over the weekend. On Wednesday, the Bennies played their last non-conference match of the season against the St. Cloud State Huskies at Sta-Fit in Sartell, narrowly losing 5-4.

The Bennies found success in their doubles matches, with the No. 1 doubles team of Tarrolly and Kopel securing a win along with the No. 3 doubles team of Nesbit and Bedford. In singles, the Bennies put up a strong fight. Tarrolly and Bedford won at No. 1 and No. 6 singles, respectively, where Bedford secured her twelfth straight win in singles. However, the Bennies suffered losses at lost at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 singles, which ultimately cost them the overall match score. The Bennies have their next match on April 15 at home on the CSB tennis courts, where they will face off against Macalester starting at 3:30 p.m.