Starting in early 1994, I worked for my first-ever newspaper, The Northern Student, the student newspaper at Bemidji State University, where I attended and received my bachelor's degree in mass communication. Over three years, I would be a staff writer, news editor, managing editor and editor. I wrote everything from news stories to feature stories to sports stories to opinion pieces. It was the greatest training ground a journalist could ever have, and I am grateful to the many talented people I worked alongside in my years at The NS.
March 27, 1996
By Devlyn Brooks
The BSU tennis team faced some very contrasting competition Friday and Saturday, March 22 and 23, which resulted in some very contrasting scores.
Friday, the Beavers faced the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, who are favored to win the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, and lost 7-0. Saturday, the Beavs played matches against Northern State University and St. Scholastica and won 7-0 and 9-0, respectively.
Head tennis coach Becky O'Keefe said the difference in scores Saturday was due to the fact that St. Scholastica scored their matches differently than how the NSIC is now scoring theirs. The National Collegiate Athletic Association has instituted a different method of scoring that resulted in the 7-0 scores, and St. Scholastica is still using the other method, which resulted in the 9-0 score.
O'Keefe said the Beavers had a tough time against UMD, but it was nothing she did not expect. UMD is a tough overall team, she said, and they have solid tennis players throughout their roster.
In fact, the most encouraging moment in the entire match was when senior Becky Tlusty, singles position No. 3, took UMD's Michelle Dummann to a third set. Tlusty was the only player for BSU to get to a third set.
Other than Tlusty, singles No. 2 position Renee Perry was the only player to win more than six games. She lost 6-4 and 7-5.
"It was kind of a rough loss," Tlusty said. "But we played really, really well on Saturday. Overall, we did OK, but there's always stuff we can improve. You really realize you need to get in better shape when you play two matches in a day."
The three doubles teams did not fare any better for BSU. Tlusty and Nicole "Lulu" Spicer lost 8-2. Perry and Jessica Daniels lsot 8-3, and the third doubles lost 8-0.
"I felt we could have played UMD closer if we would have played with more heart," O'Keefe said. "But we played our doubles matches first, and they intimidated us. It's nothing I didn't expect."
O'Keefe said Saturday was a different story altogether. She said they played well and beat a fast-improving Northern State team.
"Northern State is better than in the past, and I was glad that we did well against them," she said.
BSU so dominated NSU that not one opponent won more than six games against the Beavers. And not one opponent took a Beaver into three sets. The doubles matches were a bit closer, but BSU swept those 8-6, 8-2 and 8-3.
The results from the St. Scholastica match are just as impressive. In fact, the six singles players from Scholastica managed to win only 12 games compared to the 68 won by BSU. The doubles matches were won 8-2, 8-2 and 8-3.
"The entire team displayed good, solid play all day," O'Keefe said. "They looked, to me, to be a mature team. Their court demeanor is very mature."
Learning not to show their emotions is one aspect of their game that the team has been working on, O'Keefe said. "What good is it going to do to show your opponent you are frustrated?"
The Beavers are now 2-2 on the season with a 1-1 conference record. Their next action will be a scrimmage at home against Central Lakes College of Brainerd Wednesday, March 27, at 2 p.m. Following that, the Beavers will travel to Moorhead State University Saturday, March 30 to play the Dragons.
"Saturday will be a tough one against Moorhead," O'Keefe said. "I'm not surprised we lost to UMD. A little disappointed we didn't play them closer, but now that's done. Now, we play the conference schedule."
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