TEAM STATS
LAKEVILLE, Minn. – Over the weekend Bethel University's men's tennis squad squared off against Carleton College in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) affair held in Lakeville, Minn. at the Lifetime Fitness facility located there. The Royals were competitive in several matches, but fell 1-8 at the end of the contest.
Bryce Johnson (Sr., Blaine, Minn.) had perhaps the best day on paper, as the senior out of Blaine, Minn. captured the only winning match for BU in the No. 4 singles, and nearly captured a doubles victory. In the singles competition Johnson defeated Matt Ta of Carleton on a 7-2 tiebreaker in the first set to help him take the first frame 7-6 and then finished his opponent off with a 7-5 victory in the second. Johnson and
Kirby Ronning (So., Blaine, Minn.) were nearly triumphant in the doubles match, but fell in a tiebreaker 2-7 , resulting in a 8-9 loss in the No. 3 doubles dual.
Tucker Morris (Jr., Arden Hills, Minn.) and
Reggie Ronning (Jr., Alexandria, Minn.) were nearly winners, as both Morris and Ronning won their opening set. Morris handed the No. 1 Carleton tennis player a 6-4 loss in the first, but was defeated 1-6 in the second and 8-10 in the tiebreaker. Ronning took down Paul Cooper 6-2 in the first set of the No. 3 matchup, but fell 2-6 in the second and 6-10 in the tiebreaker.
The other two doubles duos were defeated 3-8 and 5-8, while the only other singles player that came close was
Kent Nichols (Sr., Zimmerman, Minn.) in the singles competition, as Nichols lost 4-6, 2-6 in the No. 2 match.
Head Coach Dan Morton noted, “We displayed great competition versus a great team. It was great to see Bryce endure until the very end and also to see Tucker and Reggie capture the all-important first set.
Bethel will have one final tune-up before they head south to Florida against Saint Mary's University in Winona, Minn. on March 16 at 5 p.m. The MIAC matchup will be a dual for both the men's and women's team.
