MINNEAPOLIS — South Dakota State christened its 2014-15 season with a strong showing at the Gopher Invitational, hosted by the University of Minnesota.

In singles, Tacy Haws-Lay placed sixth in the golf flight with a 2-2 showing. Haws-Lay picked up wins again Carolina Anderson (ISU), 6-3, 7-5 and Mimi Yunker (UND), 6-1, 6-3. 

After dropping a pair of opening-round matches, Ffion Davies rebounded to beat Maria Ribero (EMU), 6-2, 6-1 to place 15th.

Freshman Maria Laura Velazco won her first collegiate match in a seventh-place showdown with Aliza Deming (UND), 8-4. The two played one pro set, per coaches’ decision.

In the St. Paul flight, Velazco and Tiffany Filipovich place third as they went 1-1. The duo beat USD, 8-3 in the third-place match.

In the Minneapolis flight, Elif Gabb and Beatriz Souza placed fifth after beating teams from Kentucky and UNI, 8-7 and 8-4, respectively.

In doubles, Davies/Rosa rebounded from an opening-round loss in the Minnesota flight with two wins to take fifth. The duo defeated tandems from EMU and Iowa, both by a score of 8-7.