Saint John's tennis returns to the court and conference play with a 4 p.m. match against St. Scholastica on Saturday, March 23, at the Virginia Indoor Tennis and Pickleball Club in Virginia.

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (1-5, 1-0 MIAC) suffered five losses during its spring-break trip to the Orlando area March 4-8: 7-0 to Division I North Carolina A&T, 5-4 to Allegheny (Pa.), 6-1 to Division II Cedarville (Ohio), 8-1 to Wheaton (Ill.) and 5-4 to Ursinus (Pa.).

TOUGH COMPETITION: As of March 21, the Johnnies' five opponents in Florida have a combined record of 40-16 (49-20 so far this season if you include Hamline's 9-4 mark).

-North Carolina A&T: 11-1
-Allegheny: 5-4
-Cedarville: 10-7
-Wheaton (Ill.): 7-3
-Ursinus: 7-1

A LOOK AT THE SAINTS: St. Scholastica (7-7, 4-1 MIAC) went 2-3 in Florida back on March 8-13. CSS returns 10 from last year's team, which finished 12-8 overall and 6-3 in MIAC play, including four All-MIAC honorees. A pair of Australians, junior Jonas Abeleda and sophomore Eamon Gerrard-Stace, play at Nos. 1 (4-8, 3-2 MIAC) and 2 singles (1-8, 1-4 MIAC), respectively, as well as combine to play No. 1 doubles (4-8, 2-3 MIAC). The duo was All-MIAC in both competitions last season. Sophomore Julius Tabrizi was also All-MIAC in both last season and is 3-3 (3-1 MIAC) in singles and 7-3 (2-2 MIAC) in doubles so far this season. Sophomore Jack Onkka was All-MIAC in doubles play a year ago and is 93 (3-0 MIAC) in 2024. Freshman Dane Patten currently leads the team with a 10-4 (4-1 MIAC) singles record.

LAST SEASON: SJU opened its 2023 season with a 9-0 loss to St. Scholastica, but bounced back nine weeks later with a 6-3 win over the Saints in the MIAC quarterfinals.

St. Scholastica 9, at Saint John's 0 – Feb. 18, 2023
The Johnnies dropped two singles matches via the super-breaker and two of the three doubles matches were decided by three points or less in Sartell. Peyton Fischer '23 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). Senior Daniel Perez (Quito, Ecuador) 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.

Will Fischer '23 and senior Mason Meyer (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) suffered a close 8-6 loss at No. 3 doubles and the duo of Hunter Fischer '23 and Wil McDowell '23 was denied with an 8-5 score at No. 1.

Saint John's 6, at St. Scholastica 3 – April 25, 2023 (MIAC Quarterfinals)
Fifth-seeded SJU opened the MIAC Men's Tennis Playoffs with a 6-3 upset of fourth-seeded St. Scholastica in Duluth. SJU swept all three doubles matches and took three singles matches with a third-set tie-breaker in the win.

The doubles tandems of McDowell and senior Ian Aadland and senior P. Fischer/junior Ryan Will (Northfield, Minn.) won with 8-5 scores at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, while H. Fischer and W. Fischer posted a narrow 8-6 victory at No. 3.

CSS got on the board with a win at No. 5 singles, but P. Fischer made it 4-1 with a victory at No. 2: 6-3, 0-6, 6-1. McDowell clinched the postseason win by taking his match at No. 1: 2-6, 7-6 (7-0), 6-4.

H. Fischer recorded the Johnnies' sixth win at No. 4: 6-3, 4-6, 10-5. The third-set tie-breaker was played to 10 points after the team match was decided.

SERIES HISTORY: SJU is 29-4 against the St. Scholastica since 1981, including wins in 15 of the last 18 meetings (a 1-1 record in Virginia, Minn.). Last year's season-opening loss was SJU's first to the Saints on its home court.