Coach Terry Peck watches women’s matches unfold from behind the fence. St. Thomas men’s and women’s tennis took on St. Olaf Saturday at Lifetime Fitness in Fridley, Minnesota. (Carlee Hackl/TommieMedia)
Senior Shelby Henderson follows through on a swing during warm up. Henderson won her singles match and played second singles on Saturday. (Carlee Hackl/TommieMedia)
Sophomores Caitlin Bakke and Jenna Zimmerman shake hands with St. Olaf players after their doubles win. Bakke and Zimmerman played second doubles Saturday. (Carlee Hackl/TommieMedia)
Senior Bridget Noack prepares for a swing during her first singles game. St. Thomas women’s tennis is 15-2 overall this season. (Carlee Hackl/TommieMedia)
Bakke throws the ball up for a serve during her singles match. Bakke won a third set tie breaker to win her match on Saturday. (Carlee Hackl/TommieMedia)
Coach Ted Lauer watches the games from behind the fence. The St. Thomas women’s team defeated St. Olaf 8-1, and the men’s team defeated St. Olaf 5-4. (Carlee Hackl/TommieMedia)
Bakke looks up as she tosses the ball for a serve. Saturday’s conference win against St. Olaf followed the team’s most recent conference win against Carleton on Friday. (Carlee Hackl/TommieMedia)
The St. Thomas men’s and women’s tennis teams recorded wins over St. Olaf on Saturday at Lifetime Fitness in Fridley, Minnesota.
Men’s team
The Tommie men (10-2 Overall, 6-1 MIAC) started the day with a close 5-4 victory over the Oles (8-6 overall, 3-4 MIAC). Junior Luke Elifson won his singles match for the Tommies.
“We had to fight for every point today,” Elifson said. “It was great to pull out a win.”
Senior Allen-Michael Muench and sophomore Ben Wait also won singles matches for St. Thomas. Muench and senior Brady Radermacher won their doubles match, as did seniors Burke Anderson and Wait.
The men have now won 10 games in a row after losing to St. Cloud State, a Division II school, and Gustavus, a perennial power that is ranked fifth in the most recent NCAA central region rankings.
“The team (is) setting itself up for a great finish,” Elifson said.
The men will be back on the court April 28 at Carlton at 4 p.m.
Women’s team
The Tommie women (15-2 overall, 9-1 MIAC) took to the court later Saturday against the Oles (8-4 overall, 6-3 MIAC) for their final match of the regular season, cruising to an 8-1 win.
The women won every singles match. Their only loss was in doubles.
Seniors Bridget Noack and Shelby Henderson, sophomores Caitlin Bakke and Jenna Zimmerman and juniors Paige Becher and Jessie O’Brien all won their singles matches for St. Thomas.
Zimmerman and Bakke also won their doubles match, as did Becher and junior Lauren Keller.
The Tommies are ranked No. 12 in the most recent NCAA central region rankings. Their only losses came against perennial powers Gustavus and Wisconsin Whitewater. Noack said she enjoys the success with her teammates.
“This season has been great,” Noack said.“ As a senior, I couldn’t be more proud of my team.”
With the win over St. Olaf, St. Thomas guaranteed itself a top-three seed in the MIAC playoffs.
“With a win against Carleton (Friday) and beating St. Olaf today, we are in a really good position going into playoffs,” Noack said. “We’re excited for a little break after a long weekend and then to come back strong.”
The MIAC playoffs begin May 3. The playoff seeds will be determined after every MIAC team has completed their regular season.
Taylor Smith can be reached at smit9660@stthomas.edu.
Like the pictures of Tommie Tennis and St Thomas’s gift to our community, the great Coach Peck. Keep rolling Tommies