Head coach Terry Peck strategizes with his team before the start of the singles matches. Peck has been coaching the men’s tennis team for 26 seasons, and believes the team has a fair chance at beating Gustavus for the MIAC Conference championship title. (Caroline MacKeen)
Senior Luke Elifson screams with victory after beating Bethel opponent in a nail-biting tie breaker match. The match, which Elifson won 10-8, was the final determinant for the Tommie’s overall win against Bethel. (Caroline MacKeen/TommieMedia)
Senior Matt Kavanaugh serves against Bethel on a doubles team with Scott Wall. After a tough match, the pair lost 5-8. (Caroline MacKeen/TommieMedia)
The men’s team has had a strong 2016-2017 season, winning 11 of their 12 games, placing the team at the top of the MIAC conference standings. Of their ten wins, four ended in a score of 9-0. (Caroline MacKeen/TommieMedia)
Marty Beck and Luke Elifson compete in a doubles match against Bethel. Despite their dynamic teamwork, the two lost their match on Sunday afternoon, marking their first doubles loss of the season. (Caroline MacKeen/TommieMedia)
Tom Runde jumps for the ball during his singles match on Sunday. Runde currently holds a 5-0 record against MIAC opponents for this season. (Caroline MacKeen/TommieMedia)
The St. Thomas men’s tennis team defeated Bethel at St. Paul Academy on Sunday afternoon. Although both teams had strong performances, the Tommies ultimately won 4 of their singles matches and 1 of their doubles matches, earning themselves the overall win. (Caroline MacKeen/TommieMedia)
Senior Luke Elifson redeemed his loss at one doubles with a decisive win at one singles to help the St. Thomas men’s tennis team defeat Bethel 5-4 at St. Paul Academy Sunday afternoon.
A rocky start to doubles held St.Thomas (13-1) back early in Sunday’s match against Bethel (15-5), but quick wins at four, five and six singles kept the Tommies alive.
“Bethel came out and played really strong doubles from the get-go, and we were playing from behind at one and two doubles from the first games,” head coach Terry Peck said.
Elifson and doubles partner Junior Martin Beck lost 2-8 to Bethel’s one doubles Matt Schull and Hunter Fernelius. Elifson and Beck immediately had to switch their focus and begin their singles matches.
“You just have to reset and think mostly about your teammates and not yourself,” Elifson said.
Eager to redeem his loss, Beck smoothly won his four singles 6-3 and 6-3 to defeat Bethel’s Jakob Bartels.
Elifson fought aggressively to defeat Schull 10-8 in a super-tiebreaker to win the match and defeat the Royals.
“The focus was definitely on the team, everyone picked up the slack and it felt good to win for the team,” Elifson said.
The men’s tennis team will be graduating five seniors who have played a large part in the team’s success.
“Since freshman year I’ve watched them grow quite a bit and the biggest thing is they are very close with each other and they have been so great to all the younger players on the team,” Peck said.
Next weekend the Tommies will face nationally ranked Gustavus and Carleton to conclude regular season play.
“I’m really happy where we’re at now, we are 13-1 and we are in a great position and I’m really proud of the team,” Peck said.
Lauren Knisley can be reached at knis1243@stthomas.edu.