[Macalester Results]    [St. Olaf Results]

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn . – The Bethel University men's tennis team suffered a pair of tough setbacks over the weekend, losing to Macalester College 5-4 and St. Olaf College 7-2. The Royals saw their playoff hopes crushed with the loss to Macalester and were unable to rebound the next night against the Oles. Macalester was able to pull out a pair of three setters, winning both super tie breakers at No. 4 and No. 5 singles, to win 5-4. St. Olaf used a doubles sweep to propel themselves over the Royals at Baseline Tennis Center Saturday night.

“The Macalester match was a real heart-breaker,” said Royals coach Drew Fernelius. “The kids left everything they had on the court and just came up short. We were just emotionally and physically drained the next night against St. Olaf.”

The Royals won two of the three doubles matches against Macalester, including a big comeback at No. 1 doubles by Tucker Morris and Reggie Ronning. Morris and Ronning found themselves down 3-7 and came back to win 9-7. Brett Lizotte and Steve Schull cruised at No. 3 doubles 8-2.

Morris and Ronning both cruised to straight set victories at No. 1 and No. 2 singles while Schull and David Leafblad were defeated in straight sets at No. 3 and No. 6 singles. That set the stage for the final two matches to be completed at No. 4 and No. 5 singles with the Royals clinging to a 4-3 lead. Both Kirby Ronning at No. 4 and Luke Palmquist at No. 5 won their first sets, 6-2 and 6-3. They dropped their second sets 6-0 and 6-4, before losing the third sets, 10-8 and 10-2, giving Macalester the 5-4 win.

The Royals were forced to try and rebound in 24 hours and came out flat as they lost all three doubles matches. Morris and Ronning fell behind again, this time 6-0 and came back again, but fell short losing 8-6. Kirby Ronning and Palmquist lost a back and forth affair 8-5 at No. 2 doubles and Schull/Lizotte fell 8-4 at No. 3.

The doubles sweep left the Royals needing to win five of the six singles matches. The Oles quickly won at No. 4-6 singles play to squelch any hope for Bethel. Tucker Morris jumped out to a big lead at No. 1 singles, winning the first set 6-2 in dominate fashion and taking a 5-4 lead into the second set, before he was hit with cramps that severely limited his mobility. He ended up losing the second set 7-6 and the third set 10-5. Reggie Ronning won a three set thriller at No. 2 singles, 6-7, 6-2, (10-8). Steve Schull was the other Royal to come out on top, winning his match in three sets also, 6-3, 4-6, (10-7).

“The guys fought hard in singles,” Fernelius said. “ Schull and Reggie had big wins. Reggie is just been playing unbelievable. Unfortunately, Tucker would've won but that's how it goes sometimes. They just had too much depth for us at the bottom of the lineup. The MIAC playoffs are probably out for us but we are going to try and finish out with a pair of wins.”

The Royals will host Hamline on Thursday and travel to Concordia on Saturday to close out the season. Thursday's match is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. at the Ona Orth Athletic Complex tennis courts on Bethel's campus.