Ian Pray '09 played to a 6-3, 6-2 win at first singles, and also brought home a victory along with Nick Crnkovich '09 in the first doubles spot (8-2).
Drew Erie '08 dominated second singles with a 6-0, 6-0 match, and David Narvaez '09 had a similarly strong match with a 6-1, 6-1 victory. Narvaez teamed up with Erie for a 9-7 win at the second doubles spot.
Nick Hubbard-Peters '10, Erik Brekke '08 and Eric Brandenburg '08 finished out the Oles' domination of singles play, while first-year Will Mitchell and Hubbard-Peters had the final win at third doubles, 8-2.
The team faced more of a challenge Saturday when they played Bethel University in Lakeville, Minn., losing a closely contested 5-4 match. The match was moved to Lakeville due to extended winter weather. It was originally scheduled for St. Olaf's Carlson Courts.
"The match could have gone either way. There was a lot of good effort and sportsmanship," head coach Scott Nesbit said.
Pray yielded the first singles match 6-4, 6-2 and Erie lost a tough couple of sets (6-1, 6-1) at second singles.
Narvaez fought back after dropping his first set for a 4-6, 7-6, 10-6 victory in the third singles spot. Mitchell was victorious at fifth singles (6-3, 6-4), and he joined with Hubbard-Peters for an 8-2 win in third doubles.
That good effort noted by Nesbit was evident in Crnkovich's gritty match at sixth singles, where he won his first set 6-3, dropped his second 0-6 and then came back for the win with 10-4.
The men are now 3-3 in the MIAC. The men's tennis season may be winding down, but right now they're still playing at full throttle, with matches Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Wednesday the Oles lost in a close, late match against St. Thomas, falling 5-4.