Zach Shriwise
Junior Zach Shriwise

MIAC Tennis Playoffs: Johnnies Face St. Olaf in Friday's Opener

5/3/2012 5:37:00 PM

The sixth-seeded Johnnies will face the No. 3 seed, St. Olaf, in the first round of the six-team MIAC Tournament this Friday, May 4. The match is scheduled for 3 p.m. on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter. – Live Results

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Junior Fabricio Moncada (Managua, Nicaragua/Lincoln International Academy) and senior Ian Hansen (Dawson, Minn./Dawson-Boyd) led the way with straight-set wins at Nos. 1 and 2 singles, respectively, in the Johnnies' 5-4 loss to Macalester in the regular-season finale April 28. The two also teamed up to tally their fifth straight victory at No. 1 doubles, 8-4. Junior Willie Paul (Duluth, Minn./Marshall) recorded the Johnnies' other win at No. 5 singles (7-5, 6-2). The three ended the conference schedule with a combined 21-4 MIAC record in singles competition. Sophomore Joe Laue (St. Louis Park, Minn./Holy Angels) and junior Zach Shriwise (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley West) won their first sets but eventually lost via the super-breaker at Nos. 3 and 4 singles, respectively, for SJU (6-11, 4-5 MIAC).

A LOOK AT THE OLES: St. Olaf (14-3, 7-2 MIAC) lost its final regular-season match 9-0 to Gustavus Adolphus April 28. Knute Gundersen and Andy Catania lost close singles matches and Gustavus won the other four singles' matches in straight sets. Gundersen put in a standout performance but lost two close sets. The lone set the Oles won in singles was the second set of Andy Catania's match at No. 3. Catania took the second set 6-2 after losing the first 6-3, but was unable to keep the momentum going in the super-breaker.

EARLIER THIS SEASON: SJU lost a hard-fought 5-4 decision to the Oles indoors April 27 in Owatonna. SJU jumped out to a 2-1 lead following doubles competition but managed to tally only two matches in singles play. Hansen and Managua, earned an 8-6 win at No. 1 doubles, while sophomore Laue and Shriwise won with a hard-fought 9-8 (7-5) score at No. 2. Hansen handed Stephen Nolan his first loss in 12 matches with a straight-set victory (7-5, 6-0) at No. 2 singles. Moncada won his first set at No. 1 singles, 6-4, but saw his win streak end at six matches with a tough loss to St. Olaf's Gundersen. Gundersen battled back to win the second set, 7-6 (9-7), and claimed the super-breaker, 10-7. Junior Willie Paul won his match at No. 6 singles 6-4. The Oles won the other three singles matches in straight sets, though Charlie Reinertsen needed a tie-breaker in his second-set victory over Shriwise.

END THE STREAKS: Not only are the Johnnies aiming to end a five-match losing streak to the Oles on Friday, but also end a five-match losing streak in the MIAC Tournament. The last postseason win for SJU was a 5-2 victory over St. Thomas in the first round of the 2006 MIAC Tournament. 

 

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