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Mens Tennis Defeats University of St. Thomas

Tim Smith
April 30, 2001

After suffering a close loss to Division II opponent Minnesota State University earlier in the week, the St. Olaf men's tennis team took on the University of St. Thomas. The Oles lost a heartbreaker of a match the previous year to the Tommies 3-4 in a very emotional match. Knowing that the match was very important to their playoff hopes, the Oles came prepared.

The match started out the way it left off the previous year; hard fought and close. Senior Pete Nau (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and junior Karl Wilbur (Edina, Minn.) won easily at No. 1 doubles, while first-year "Twin Towers" Ted and Tom Nagel (Oglesby, Ill.) lost a close match at No. 2 doubles. With both teams having one win at doubles, the No. 3 doubles match would decide who got the important doubles point. Up 6-5 in the set, junior Brandon Hall (Dubuque, Iowa) and sophomore Peder Thoen (Kolsas, Norway) broke St. Thomas' serve to go up 7-5, and held serve to win the match and the doubles point for the Oles.

With the doubles point as a confidence booster, the Oles singles players continued their fine play and effort. Pete Nau lost a hard fought match at No. 1 singles, while Karl Wilbur came back from 1-4 and 2-5, to win the first set, and went on to dominate the second set. Playing an emotionally charged opponent, Wilbur kept his cool and won a well-played match at No. 2 singles. Peder Thoen, having aided in the win for the doubles point, also won a pressure filled match at No. 3 singles to give the Oles their fourth point, which won the match. No. 4 singles Brandon Hall lost a close match, while No. 5 singles Ted Nagel won very easily. Tom Nagel fought hard in his match and he won in three sets at No. 6 singles.

The Oles won the match 5-2, while all but securing second place in the MIAC behind Gustavus Adolphus. The Oles play at Carleton on Tuesday, May 1 at 3:30 and travel to the MIAC tournament this coming weekend at the University of St. Thomas.

Contact Pat Buresh at 507-786-3315 or buresh@stolaf.edu.