BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Gustavus Adolphus College men’s and women’s tennis players Mohanad Alhouni (So., Tripoli Libya) and Ally Baker (So., Rosemount, Minn.) were honored with the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s tennis Athlete of the Week honors as chosen by the league’s sports information directors Tuesday.
(Release courtesy of Matt Higgins, MIAC Assistant Executive Director)
ALHOUNI
The Gustavus men’s tennis team picked up right where it left off a season ago with three dominant wins to start 2016, including a pair of 9-0 victories last week. Sophomore Mohanad Alhouni (Tripoli, Libya / West Lutheran) had a perfect week at both No. 1 singles and doubles with a combined 4-0 record at the top of the Gusties’ lineup. For his performance, the MIAC sports information directors honored Alhouni Tuesday with the MIAC Men’s Tennis Athlete-of-the-Week award.
Alhouni started the week by going 2-0 in the top spot of both the singles and doubles lineups in a 9-0 nonconference win against UW-Eau Claire. Along with partner Andres Saenz (Jr., Cancun, Mexico), he helped Gustavus’ top doubles tandem win 8-4, and he was a 6-4, 6-2, straight-sets winner at No. 1 singles as well. He was even better in his 2016 MIAC debut against Saint John’s, as his 6-1, 6-1, singles win and 8-3 doubles victory paved the way for another 9-0 Gustavus sweep. Thus far, Alhouni is 4-0 overall in 2016.
The Gusties couldn’t have gotten off to a much better start, as the team is already 3-0 with a trifecta of perfect 9-0 wins over the Johnnies, UWEC and Division II Augustana (S.D.). The team has an important day coming up Saturday as it will play a pair of MIAC matches almost simultaneously, as Gustavus hosts St. Thomas in a 10 a.m. match, and travels to Winona to face Saint Mary’s at noon. The Gusties are seeking their 28th-straight MIAC title in 2016.
BAKER
The Gustavus women’s tennis team took a step up in competition last week, and Ally Baker (Rosemount, Minn.) certainly rose to the challenge. The Gustie sophomore was a perfect 2-0 in singles play in the top two spots in the lineup, and she helped win both her matches at No. 1 doubles as well while her team split a pair of extremely close matches against NCAA Division II foes. For her performance, the MIAC sports information directors honored Baker Tuesday with the MIAC Women’s Tennis Athlete-of-the-Week award.
Baker brought her ‘A’ game Saturday in an impressive 6-3 Gustavus win over Southwest Minnesota State and a narrow 5-4 loss to Sioux Falls. Against SMSU, she was a 6-1, 6-3, winner at No. 1 singles, and along with partner Briana Hartman (Fy., Owatonna, Minn.), helped the Gusties’ top doubles team pull out an 8-5 victory. She added a 6-2, 6-2, win at No. 2 singles against Sioux Falls, and played a big role in an 8-2 win in the top doubles spot. Saturday was Baker’s first action of the season, and she is off to a perfect 4-0 start, overall.
The Saturday split moved Gustavus’ record to 1-2 thus far on the young season, with both losses coming to Division I and II opponents. These matches have served as the team’s final tune-up for conference play, as the defending champion Gusties will open MIAC action on Feb. 27.