The Johnnie tennis team (6-3, 0-2 MIAC) returns to action with three matches in three days, beginning with a home contest against Bethel this Friday, April 8. The match is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the SJU Tennis Courts (weather permitting) in Collegeville. SJU is scheduled to host St. Olaf at 2 p.m. Saturday before traveling to face Concordia-Moorhead for a 1 p.m. bout Sunday.

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Macalester won matches at Nos. 1 and 2 singles via super-breaker to defeat Saint John's 5-4 two weeks ago on March 26. Michael Coleman defeated sophomore Fabricio Moncada (Managua, Nicaragua/Lincoln International Academy) 6-0, 5-7, 10-5 at No. 1 singles, while Chris Fowler edged junior Ian Hansen (Dawson, Minn./Dawson-Boyd) 1-6, 7-5, 10-8 at No. 2 singles. The match was the first competition tilt for Moncada in exactly a month (Feb. 26 vs. Michigan Tech). Senior Elliott Elm (Eagan, Minn./Holy Angels) won a hard-fought decision at No. 3 singles [7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (5-7), 10-3], and freshmen Joe Laue (St. Louis Park, Minn./Holy Angels) and Connor Rust (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes) posted wins at Nos. 4 and 5 singles, respectively. The Scots upset Hansen and Moncada at No. 1 doubles, 8-6.

A LOOK AT THE ROYALS: The Royals (6-7, 1-3 MIAC) earned their first MIAC win of the season with a 6-3 decision over Saint Mary's 6-3 on March 23 before falling to St. Thomas, 7-2 on April 2. Since 1995, SJU is 9-7 against Bethel. The Johnnies; however, have lost each of their last four matches against the Royals.

A LOOK AT THE OLES: St. Olaf (5-4, 4-2 MIAC) defeated Concordia College-Moorhead 8-1 in their first outdoor match April 2 and edged Hamline 6-3 on April 6. St. Olaf started the afternoon by winning two out of the three doubles matches. Needing to gain a split of the six singles matches to clinch the win versus Hamline, the Oles did one better than that by winning four. Five of the singles matches went to super-tiebreakers with St. Olaf winning four of the five. The wins came from John Wight, Charlie Reinertsen, John Foss and Andy Catania. Knute Gundersen dropped a close straight-set match at first singles while Will Mitchell's comeback fell short in a super-tiebreaker at sixth singles. SJU and St. Olaf are an even 5-5 in the last 10 meetings.

A LOOK AT THE COBBERS: The Cobbers (5-6, 1-2 MIAC) dropped its most recent match to St. Olaf (as mentioned above) April 2 and will take on Bethel the day after the Royals face the Johnnies (April 9). The Johnnies are 7-3 against the Cobbers in the last 10 meetings. 

"WEATHER PERMITTING": Pending poor weather conditions, the matches scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the SJU Tennis Courts in Collegeville would be moved to Gold's Gym in Sartell.