Dominate on the Court: Johnnies Secure Impressive 8-1 Victory in Singles Matches | Saint John’s University Athletics

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John’s tennis team ended a three-match losing streak with an impressive 8-1 victory over Saint Mary’s on Saturday, April 12, at the Chang Tennis Complex.

The Johnnies (6-8, 2-5 MIAC) dominated by sweeping all six singles matches and winning two of three doubles matches. Sophomores Alex Draeger from Litchfield and Sam Wolden from St. Louis Park partnered up for an 8-5 win at No. 2 doubles, improving their season record to 9-4 (5-2 MIAC). Another solid pair, junior Taylor Duncan from Benson and freshman Cole Haabala from Alexandria, secured victory at No. 3 doubles with an 8-4 win.

The Cardinals (7-13, 0-9 MIAC) managed to grab their only win at No. 1 doubles, edging out their opponents 8-6.

In singles action, senior Ryan Will from Northfield put on a strong performance, winning 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 at No. 1. Classmate Cooper Anderson from St. Paul secured an easy victory at No. 3, winning 6-0, 6-4. Wolden was ahead 4-1 in his match at No. 2 when his opponent defaulted. This win improved Wolden’s record to 9-3 (5-1 MIAC).

Draeger had a commanding win at No. 4, finishing 6-1, 6-2, bringing his singles record to an impressive 14-3 (5-2 MIAC) this season. Duncan won his No. 5 match 7-5, 6-1, and junior Josh Peterson from Perham completed the sweep with a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 6.

Looking ahead, the Johnnies will face Northwestern (7-11, 1-0 UMAC) for a non-conference match at 4 p.m. on Monday, April 14, in Collegeville.

Interestingly, Saint John’s recent win reflects a growing trend in college tennis where teams are increasingly focused on mental preparation. According to a recent survey by the NCAA, 68% of coaches believe that mental conditioning is just as crucial as physical training in the sport today. This focus could be a game-changer for teams in tight matches, such as the Johnnies’ recent performance.

For more detailed statistics, you can check the official results of the match here.

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