Results

ST. PETER, Minn. - The playoffs are meant to bring out the best competitor in everyone. Bethel's men's tennis team rose to the occasion in the first round of the MIAC playoffs by defeating St. Olaf 5-4 in some well-played matches.

The Royals fell behind 2-1 after doubles play, as the duo of Reggie Ronning (Fr., Alexandria, Minn.) and Jordan LeFebvre (Sr., Roseville, Minn.) were the only pair to claim victory before singles play, winning 9-8 and 7-3 in the tiebreaker. Three-time All-MIAC doubles player Tom Ronning (Sr., Alexandria, Minn.) and his fellow all-conference partner Kent Nichols (So., Zimmerman, Minn.) played a close, tough battle, but ultimately fell 8-6.

Then in singles play, four of the six matches went to a tiebreaker set, proving how evenly matched the two teams were. Tom Ronning defeated his opponent 6-0, 6-3, while Bethel's second slot, and newly awarded All-MIAC singles player Joel Cassens (Sr., Owatonna, Minn.) won 6-4, 2-6, 7-6. Nichols won 6-2, 7-6 at third singles, while Tucker Morris (Fr., Arden Hills, Minn.), also a newly crowned All-MIAC singles player, won 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 to give the Royals four victories in singles play and capture the match 5-4.

The Royals have now advanced to the second round of the MIAC playoffs in three of the last four years. They are now scheduled to take on #2 seeded Carleton at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday morning on the Brown Tennis Courts on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College.