Saint John's tennis hosts two matches this week, beginning with Northwestern at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, at the Chang Tennis Complex in Collegeville. The Johnnies then return to conference play against St. Scholastica at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at Sta-Fit in Sartell.

MOVED TO TUESDAY: The match vs. Northwestern was scheduled for today (Monday, April 14) but was postponed and moved to Tuesday due to today's forecast of cooler temperatures and wind.

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (6-8, 2-5 MIAC) went 1-1 this past weekend in conference play.

at No. 25 Gustavus Adolphus 9, Saint John's 0 (April 11)
The Gusties won all six singles matches in straight sets. Senior Cooper Anderson (No. 3; St. Paul, Minn./White Bear Lake), sophomore Alex Draeger (No. 4; Litchfield, Minn.) and junior Josh Peterson (No. 6; Perham, Minn.) led SJU with three points in the first set of their singles matches.

Draeger and classmate Sam Wolden (St. Louis Park, Minn.) recorded the Johnnies' closest doubles match with an 8-3 loss at No. 2.

at Saint John's 8, Saint Mary's 1 (April 12)
SJU snapped a three-match skid with an 8-1 win over Saint Mary's in Collegeville. The Johnnies swept all six singles matches in straight and won two of the three in doubles competition. Draeger and Wolden posted an 8-5 victory at No. 2 doubles, moving their season record to 9-4 (5-2 MIAC) at that spot, and junior Taylor Duncan (Benson, Minn.) and freshman Cole Haabala (Alexandria, Minn.) tallied an 8-4 advantage at No. 3. The lone win for the Cardinals came at No. 1 doubles with an 8-6 score.

Senior Ryan Will (Northfield, Minn.) won at No. 1, 7-6 (7-5) and 6-3, and Anderson posted a shutout in his first set at No. 3 (6-0, 6-4). Wolden was ahead with a 4-1 score in the first set at No. 2 when his opponent defaulted. The win moved his record to 9-3 (5-1 MIAC) at No. 2. Draeger cruised to victory at No. 4 (6-1, 6-2) and is now 14-3 (5-2 MIAC) in singles play this season. Duncan won at No. 5 (7-5, 6-1) and Peterson gave SJU its sixth singles point at No. 6 (6-0, 6-1).

A LOOK AT THE EAGLES: Northwestern (7-11, 1-0 UMAC) recorded 7-0 wins over Bethany Lutheran and Crown on Saturday (April 12). Sophomore Carson Haack and junior Griffen Jarchow have identical 7-11 records at Nos. 1 and 2 singles, respectively. Freshman Caleb Swigart leads the team with a 10-6 singles record, including a 6-3 mark at No. 6. Haack and freshman Sam Majerus are 5-1 at No. 1 doubles.

LAST SPRING: The Johnnies built a 2-1 lead after doubles competition and won five singles matches in straight sets for the 7-2 win last April 25 (2024) in Roseville.

Ian Aadland '24 and Wolden recorded an 8-4 win at No. 2 doubles and the tandem of Will Deters '24 and Draeger won its fifth-straight match with an 8-6 victory.

Mason Meyer '24 did not surrender a point at No. 5 (6-0, 6-0), while Wolden gave up one point at No. 3 (6-1, 6-0). Daniel Perez '24 and Mark Rosen '24 registered identical wins – 6-2, 6-2 – at Nos. 4 and 6, while Aadland tallied the team's fifth singles win at No. 2 (6-4, 6-1).

Jacob Weddle defeated Will in the super-breaker at No. 1 for Northwestern: 7-5, 4-6, 10-3.

SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 7-0 all-time against Northwestern on the tennis court. Tuesday's match will be the first between the two programs in Collegeville (5-0 in Sartell and 2-0 in Roseville).

A LOOK AT THE SAINTS: St. Scholastica (8-6, 4-3 MIAC) escaped St. Paul with a 5-4 win yesterday (April 13) at Macalester. All six singles matches were decided by the super-breaker. The Saints won at Nos. 2-3 doubles, including an 8-7 (7-3) victory at No. 3. Senior Jonas Abeleda is 5-8 (1-6 MIAC) at No. 1 singles and junior Eamon Gerrard Stace is 8-2 (5-2 MIAC) at No. 3. Junior Jack Onkka and sophomore Dane Patten are 10-2 (6-1 MIAC) at No. 2 doubles.

A YEAR AGO: SJU dropped a 6-3 decision to St. Scholastica last March 23 (2024) at the Virginia Indoor Tennis and Pickleball Club. The Saints swept doubles competition and the two teams split the singles matches with each squad earning a victory via the super-breaker.

Wolden and Rosen won their singles matches at Nos. 3 and 6, respectively, in straight sets with tie-breakers in the first for SJU. Meyer recorded the Johnnies' third singles victory – his first match in a month (Feb. 24) – via the super-breaker: 6-4, 3-6 and 10-5. 

Will won his first set at No. 1 singles but was edged in the second and in the super-breaker: 4-6, 7-5, 10-8.

SERIES HISTORY: SJU is 29-5 against St. Scholastica since 1981, including wins in 15 of the last 19 meetings. Thursday's will be the first between the two schools in Collegeville since 2007 (a 13-0 SJU record).