The Gustavus men’s tennis team opened conference play with three convincing victories on Saturday. Coach Wilkinson used three different teams to defeat Bethel (9-0), St. Olaf (9-0), and Concordia (9-0). The Gusties are now 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the MIAC.
Gustavus started the day by defeating Bethel in Arden Hills 9-0. The team did not drop a set in singles play as Pete Schwingler won 6-2, 6-1 at #1, Tim Gruenisen won 6-2, 6-3 at #2, Griffin Foley won 6-0, 6-3 at #3, Matt Toppin won 6-0, 6-1 at #4, Aaron Zenner won 6-0, 6-0 at #5, and Alex Horton won 6-2, 6-1 at #6. In doubles play, Schwingler and Gruenisen won 8-2 at #1, Foley and Zenner won 8-3 at #2, and Toppin and Horton won 8-5 at #3.
In the afternoon, Gustavus defeated Saint Olaf 9-0 in the Swanson Tennis Center in St. Peter. The Gusties again did not drop a set in singles play as Ben Lundell won 6-1, 6-1 at #1, Jesse Brauer won 6-0, 6-1 at #2, Will Butzlaff won 6-2, 6-2 at #3, Claudio Bravo won 6-2, 6-1 at #4, Brian Laumeyer won 7-5, 6-2 at #5, and Will Colmar won 6-1, 6-0 at #6. In doubles play, Lundell/Brauer won 8-0 at #1, Butzlaff and Bravo won 8-1 at #2, and Colmar and Laumeyer won 8-4 at #3.
The Gusties wrapped up the day with a 9-0 victory over Concordia in Moorhead. The #2 and #4 singles matches were tight as Brett Morse-Karzen needed the superbreaker to defeat Jordy Kammerling 6-3, 3-6, 10-4 at #2 and Will Buzlaff edged William Wischer 6-4, 4-6, 10-7 at #4. The team claimed the of the matches in straight sets as Adam Morgan won 6-0, 6-0 at #1, Andy Bryan won 6-0, 6-0 at #3, Danny Suchy won 7-5, 6-4 at % and Kevin Stickney won 6-2, 6-0 at #6. In doubles play, Morgan and Morse-Karzen won 8-4 at #1, Bryan and Stickney won 8-3 at #2 and Suchy and Butzlaff won 8-5 at #3.
Gustavus will host three more matches this weekend. Coach Steve Wilkinson’s squad will play Univ. of Nebraska-Kearney on Friday at 3:00 pm, Winona State at 9:30 am on Saturday and Minnesota State-Mankato at 2:00 pm on Saturday.