Results

SARTELL, Minn. – Saint John's tennis suffered a narrow 5-4 loss to regionally ranked Macalester on Sunday, March 31, at Sta-Fit in Sartell.

SJU (4-7, 1-2 MIAC) cruised to two doubles wins but mustered only two wins in the six singles matches in the defeat.

Seniors Ryan Meger (Stillwater, Minn./Mahtomedi) and Jonah Punnoose (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) won at Nos. 3 (6-4, 6-0) and 4 (6-3, 6-4) singles, and teamed up to post an 8-3 victory at No. 2 doubles.

Sophomores Thomas Gillach (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) and Nate Jordre (St. Cloud, Minn./Tech) recorded SJU's other win at No. 1 doubles (8-2). The match was Jordre's first since rolling his ankle March 5 in Orlando, Fla.

Gillach dropped his singles match at No. 2 via the super-breaker: 6-2, 1-6 and 10-3.

The Scots (10-2, 3-0 MIAC) were ranked No. 20 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Central Region rankings released March 28.

The win was the first for Macalester over SJU since 2012; which was the third of three straight 5-4 victories over the Johnnies. The last time the Scots defeated SJU by a score other than 5-4 was 2000 (6-1).

The Johnnie tennis team hosts a pair of matches next weekend at the outdoor Chang Tennis Complex in Collegeville. SJU takes on Bethel at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, April 7, and Saint Mary's at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 8.