The Gustavus men’s tennis team wrapped up a very successful Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Midwest Regional by claiming both singles and doubles titles on Sunday afternoon. Ben Lundell (#8 seed) won the singles title by upsetting teammate Loren Collins (#1 seed) 6-1, 6-4. In the doubles final, Gustavus’ Adam Morgan and Brett Morse-Karzen (#1 seed) knocked off teammates Ben Lundell and Jesse Brauer, the #3 seeds, 8-6. Lundell, the singles champion and Morgan and Morse-Karzen, the doubles champions, receive ITA All-America honors by virtue of winning regional titles and advance to play in the ITA Small College Championships in Fort Myers, Florida on October 14 through 17.
In the singles semifinals earlier in the day, Loren Collins defeated teammate Jesse Brauer (#11 seed) 6-0, 6-2, while Ben Lundell defeated teammate Adam Morgan (#3 seed) 6-4, 6-2. Lundell, the #8 seed, made an impressive run through the tournament as he defeated #2 seed Brad Livingston of Carthage in the quarterfinals, #3 seed Adam Morgan of Gustavus in the semifinals and top-seeded Loren Collins of Gustavus in the championship match.
In the doubles semifinals, Morgan and Morse-Karzen (#1 seed) defeated Brian Thomas and Tut Fuller (#5 seed) of St. Thomas 8-5, while Lundell and Brauer (#3 seed) defeated Roy Bryan and Andy Bryan (#6 seed) 8-4.
The ITA Midwest Regional consisted of 97 players from 22 institutions in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. This was the 20th consecutive year that Gustavus has hosted the Midwest Regional.
SINGLES RESULTS
Semifinals
(#1 seed) Loren Collins, Gustavus defeated (#11 seed) Jesse Brauer, Gustavus 6-0, 6-2
(#8 seed) Ben Lundell, Gustavus defeated (#3 seed) Adam Morgan, Gustavus 6-4, 6-2
Championship
(#8 seed) Ben Lundell, Gustavus defeated (#1 seed) Loren Collins, Gustavus 6-1, 6-4
DOUBLES RESULTS
Semifinals
(#1 seed) Adam Morgan and Brett Morse-Karzen, Gustavus defeated (#5 seed) Brian Thomas and Tut Fuller, St. Thomas 8-5
(#3 seed) Jesse Brauer and Ben Lundell, Gustavus defeated (#6 seed) Andy Bryan and Roy Bryan, Gustavus 8-4
Championship
(#1) Adam Morgan/Brett Morse-Karzen, Gustavus defeated (#3) Jesse Brauer and Ben Lundell, Gustavus 8-6
Gustavus Also Claims Singles and Doubles Titles at Midwest Open Tennis Tournament
The companion tournament to the ITA Midwest Regional, the Midwest Open concluded with Kevin Stickney of Gustavus winning the singles title and Griffin Foley and Aaron Zenner of Gustavus claiming the doubles title.
Stickney won the singles title by defeating teammate Chad Olson 7-6 (5), 6-1, while Foley and Zenner defeated teammates Alex Sadighi and Chad Olson 9-8, 8-6 in the tiebreaker.