DULUTH, Minn (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's tennis team played their first-ever MIAC postseason match in program history and became the second varsity sport at CSS to achieve postseason honors in school history. The team got down early when Saint Johns shocked the Saints 3-0 in the doubles leg of the dual. The Saints would face an uphill battle in singles but would claw and fight their way back to claim three points in the singles before SJU ultimately won 6-3. The Johnnies now move to the semifinal round where the Johnnies will challenge regular season conference champion Gustavus in St. Peter at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Doubles
The Johnnies claimed all 3 doubles matches and reversed the tides of an 0-3 deficit the last time the two squads met up at the SJU.
Singles
CSS would soon be energized on court 1 when No. 5 singles Riley Versich (Kelly Lake, Minn./Hibbing HS (Itasca CC)) would finish his season as a Saint 8-2 in MIAC play for a team singles high and with his sixth straight singles match in a row in straight sets, 7-6 (7-1), 6-1.
Julius Tabrizi (Frankfurt, Germany/Bischof-Neumann) would then claim victory on Court 4 at No. 3 singles to finish 7-2 in MIAC singles play and with his sixth straight as well. Tabrizi was not here yet to play Carleton in the fall. The Johnnies would win at court #2 to come one point away from the clinch before Will McDowell sealed the deal in 3 sets for SJU at No. 1 singles.
Reece Patten (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) finished his match winning again over Mark Rosen 6-2, 6-4 after the clinch, and finished tied with Tabrizi for team MIAC singles wins at 7-2.
Up Next
The men's team will now say goodbye to their lone senior and 2023 singles wins leader Riley Versich (Kelly Lake, Minn./Hibbing HS (Itasca CC)). Riley finished his career as a UMAC champion in his first year on the team and leaves as a key member of the first CSS tennis team to make the MIAC playoffs.
"I couldn't be prouder of this team", Versich said after the loss. "I love every one of my teammates and I couldn't have been luckier to be a Saint. The senior than added, "it's been an honor to have been coached by our wonderful Saints coaching staff."
The CSS squad that finished 12-7 in dual play and 6-3 in conference play will look forward to the 2023-24 campaign with high hopes. Stay tuned for tennis updates and individual honors announced by the MIAC next week and thank you for following Saints tennis.
