The Johnnie tennis team visits Northwestern for a 4 p.m. match on Thursday, April 21, in Roseville.

SCHEDULE CHANGE: The Johnnies and Eagles were scheduled to play next Wednesday evening, April 27, but the match was moved to Thursday, six days earlier, due to UNW's schedule conflicts. 

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (8-4, 5-1 MIAC) returned to the win column with a 6-3 victory at Bethel nearly two weeks ago (April 9) in Arden Hills. The Johnnies swept all three doubles matches and won at Nos. 1 and 2 singles thanks to the super-breaker.

Juniors Hunter Fischer (Spicer, Minn./Willmar) and Wil McDowell (Sioux Falls, S.D./O'Gorman) won at No. 1, 8-5, as well as junior Peyton Fischer (Spicer, Minn./Willmar) and freshman Ryan Will (Northfield, Minn.) at No. 2. Fischer and Will are now 9-4 (4-2 MIAC) as a tandem this spring.

Sophomore Ian Aadland (Brainerd, Minn.) and freshman Cooper Anderson (St. Paul, Minn./White Bear Lake) won a nail-biter at No. 3, 8-7 (7-4).

McDowell claimed the first of SJU's six singles wins at No. 1: 6-3, 1-6, 10-5. Peyton Fischer bounced back from a 6-1 loss in his first set at No. 2 with a 6-2 margin in the second and 10-7 victory in the super-breaker.

Sophomore Daniel Perez (Quito, Ecuador) improved to 5-6 (4-2 MIAC) with a win at No. 6, 6-4 and 7-5.

The Royals won their three matches in straight sets.

A LOOK AT THE EAGLES: Northwestern (14-3, 4-0 UMAC) moved its win streak to five matches with an 8-1 victory last Monday (April 11) at Martin Luther. Sophomore Stewart Morrell is 11-3 at No. 1 singles, while freshman Jacob Weddle is 12-2, including an 8-1 mark at No. 3. The duo is 12-2 at No. 2 doubles. Juniors Jack Geurkink and Adam Ryerse are 11-4 at No. 1.

TWO YEARS AGO: SJU opened its 2020 season with an 8-1 non-conference win over Northwestern the last time these two teams met on Feb. 8 at Sta-Fit in Sartell. The Johnnies swept all three doubles matches and won five of the six singles bouts, all in straight sets. The lone victory for Northwestern was at No. 6 (Ryerse).

The tightest doubles match was at No. 1, where Thomas Gillach '21 and Nate Jordre '21 posted an 8-4 victory.

Jess Hansen '20 and junior Wil McDowell (Sioux Falls, S.D./O'Gorman) tallied an 8-3 victory at No. 2 and Hunter and Peyton Fischer earned their first collegiate dual win at No. 3, 8-2.

Jordre and Gillach posted similar wins (6-1, 6-1) at Nos. 1 and 2 singles, respectively, followed by McDowell (No. 3), Hansen (No. 4) and Dylan Fyle '21 at No. 5.

SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 4-0 all-time against Northwestern, though Thursday's match will be the series' first away from the indoor courts in Sartell.