ST. PAUL – The Northwestern College (Minn.) men's tennis team suffered its second consecutive setback to start the 2013 season, falling 9-0 to the University of St. Thomas in the Tommies' Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex. Several Northwester players gave themselves chances to win, but it was St. Thomas who prevailed in all nine matches in the end.

No. 1 singles player David Knight (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge) was the first on in Thursday night's match and for the second time this year, the junior lost in a third set tiebreaker. Knight defeated the Tommies' Brian McCarthy 6-4 in the first set, but fell 6-2 in the second before McCarthy won the tiebreaker set 10-3 to take the match. Eagles players Kegan Blancke (No. 2 singles) and Philip Gudim (Becker, Minn./Home School) (No. 5 singles) added some good points of their own, but ultimately fell in matching 6-4, 6-2 sets to their St. Thomas opponents.

All three of Knight, Blancke and Gudim were in tight doubles matches as well. Knight and Blancke lost a close 8-6 match to McCarthy and Mitch Blackey at No. 1 doubles while Gudim and his No. 3 doubles partner, Levi Busse (Amery, Wis./Amery), fell to Allen Michael-Muench and Kevin Lamigan 8-6.

Now 0-2 early in the year, Northwestern will hit the road this weekend when the Eagles face Saint Mary's University and Loras College in Winona, Minn. on Saturday, February 23.

Final results still to come…