SAINT PETER, Minn. - No. 12 Gustavus men's tennis earned its first win of the dual match season Saturday in shutout fashion. The Gusties defeated UW-Eau Claire 9-0 as Tommy Valentini earned his 300th career victory as the Gustavus head coach. 

Caleb Fridinger and Rafael Coasta started the match with a quick 8-0 win at No. 3 doubles, followed by wins of 8-3 at both Nos. 1 and 2. In singles play, all six matches were won in straight sets. Jack Bergmeyer had to most convincing victory, giving up just four games to his opponent at the No. 5 spot. 

"The guys played well today against a quality opponent," Valentini said. "Caleb and Rafa got us rolling with a strong performance at three doubles. We got to our game nicely at one and two to get the sweep and some good momentum heading into the singles. From there we handled the close moments well and controlled what was within our control at a high level to come through. We'll look to build on this one, rest up, and make good progress to prepare for exciting challenges next week."

The Gusties will compete as a split squad next Saturday, hosting Bethel and Grinnell, and traveling to Saint Mary's. 
  Read Full Article