Fifth-seeded Saint John's tennis opens the MIAC Playoffs with a noon quarterfinal match at fourth-seeded St. Scholastica on Tuesday, April 25, at the Duluth Indoor Sports Complex.

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (8-9, 5-4 MIAC) closed its regular-season schedule with a 1-1 record over the weekend.

at Saint John's 8, Bethel 1
SJU clinched a berth to this week's five-team MIAC Playoffs with an 8-1 win over Bethel on Saturday (April 22) at Sta-Fit in Sartell.

SJU swept all six singles matches, including three via the super-breaker. The Johnnies won the first set in all three bouts decided by the tie-breaker. Senior Peyton Fischer (Spicer, Minn./Willmar) won his match at No. 2 with an 11-9 decision in the super-breaker, while sophomore Ryan Will (Northfield, Minn.) and junior Daniel Perez (Quito, Ecuador) posted 10-3 and 10-8 decisions at No. 3 and No 5, respectively. Peyton and Will also needed an 8-6 victory in the tie-breaker for their 8-7 win at No. 2 doubles.

Senior Wil McDowell (No. 1; Sioux Falls, S.D./O'Gorman), senior Hunter Fischer (No. 4; Spicer, Minn./Willmar) and junior Mark Rosen (No. 6; Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) all won in straight sets. Hunter and senior Will Fischer (Spicer, Minn./Willmar) tallied an 8-3 win at No. 3 doubles. The lone win for Bethel came at No. 1 doubles.

at Carleton 9, Saint John's 0
The Johnnies ended their regular season with a 9-0 loss to regionally ranked Carleton yesterday (Sunday, April 23) at Lifetime Fitness in Lakeville. Carleton, which is currently ranked No. 10 in Region VII by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), swept five of the six singles matches in straight sets. 

Perez came the closest to victory for SJU (8-9, 5-4 MIAC) at No. 5 singles. He matched a 6-2 defeat in his first set with a 6-2 win in the second, but dropped the super-breaker with a 10-6 score.

SJU'S MIAC POSTSEASON HISTORY: The 2023 MIAC Playoff appearance is the ninth in the last 11 seasons for SJU (16th overall). 

A LOOK AT THE SAINTS: St. Scholastica (12-7, 6-3 MIAC) brings a six-match win streak into the MIAC Playoffs thanks to a pair of home victories against Saint Mary's (7-2) and Hamline (9-0) over the weekend. Three Saints have 10 or more wins in singles competition: sophomore Jonas Abeleda (10-8, 6-3 MIAC all at No. 1); freshman Julius Tabrizi (11-6, 6-2 MIAC/9-4 at No. 3); and senior Riley Versich (11-5, 7-2 MIAC/6-3 at No. 5). Abeleda/freshman Eamon Gerrard-Stace (11-6 at No. 1) and freshman Jack Onkka/Tabrizi (7-8 at No. 2) both went 6-2 in conference play for doubles, while senior Carter Anderson/junior Reece Patten posted an 8-0 (5-0 MIAC) record at No. 3.

THE SEASON OPENER: SJU opened its 2023 season with a 9-0 loss to St. Scholastica earlier this season on Feb. 18 in Sartell. The Johnnies dropped two singles matches via the super-breaker and two of the three doubles matches were decided by three points or less. P. Fischer won his first set at No. 2 singles with a 6-3 score, but dropped the second (7-5) and fell in the super-breaker (10-4). Perez bounced back from a 6-4 loss in his first set at No. 4 with a 6-2 win in the second, but lost in a nail-biting 10-8 score in the super-breaker.

W. Fischer and junior Mason Meyer (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) suffered a close 8-6 loss at No. 3 doubles and the duo H. Fischer and McDowell was denied with an 8-5 score at No. 1.

SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 28-4 against the Saints since 1981, including wins in 14 of the last 17 meetings. The defeat to open the 2023 season was SJU's first to the Saints on its home court.