Women’s tennis achieves winning season in 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Joseph Baer

Mankato, Minn.—The Bethany women’s tennis team has improved every year since the team went winless in 2005, and their 2009 season proved to be their most successful yet. The Vikings finished the season with a record of 7-5 (5-4 UMAC). They also placed third place in the conference regular season and fourth in the postseason tournament.

The team’s 1-2-3 punch of Elizabeth Kopacek (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo), Caitlyn Felthous (Pine River, Minn./Pequot Lakes), and Meaghan Dahlke (Northfield, Minn./Northfield) all finished the year with even records of 7-7 in singles matches. Kopacek and Dahlke were also named to the UMAC All-Conference First Team. The team’s number four, Madara Matveja (Kekava, Latvia/Riga Secondary), had a successful season, finishing 8-6 in singles play. Matveja also reached the No. 4 singles championship in the postseason tournament before finishing runner-up. Kayln Ivers (Faribault, Minn./Faribault) finished the year 6-7, while Laura Gehlhar (Hager City, Wis./St. Croix Lutheran) was 3-7 in singles matches.

The Vikings also finished with a .500 record of 21-21 in all doubles matches, with Felthous and Kopacek leading the way with six doubles wins together.

Coach Adolph Harstad noted, “The team exceeded expectation with the best record for Bethany women’s tennis in years, I received great attitude and cooperation from this team.” With only one player on the way out and some strong recruits coming in, Coach Harstad expects to see an even better women’s tennis team in 2010.