ST. JOSEPH, Minn. - The College of Saint Benedict tennis team (5-7 overall, 2-4 MIAC) is set for a pair of conference matchups this weekend. On Saturday, April 12, CSB will face Saint Mary's (12-8, 2-7 MIAC) at 4 p.m. at the Chang Tennis Complex in Collegeville, Minn. The weekend wraps up on Sunday, April 13, with a road match against perennial MIAC powerhouse Gustavus (14-7, 2-0 MIAC) at 3 p.m. in Saint Peter, Minn.
Following the two matches this weekend, the Bennies will host three straight opponents, including College of St. Scholastica at 3 p.m., April 17; Northwestern, 4 p.m., April 25 and UW-River Falls, 1 p.m., April 26.
Season Recap
CSB opened the season with a tough 7-2 loss to St. Olaf, before picking up momentum during their Florida spring break trip with wins over Western Connecticut State (7-0), St. Norbert (4-3), and Crown College (7-0). The Bennies dropped matches to UW-LaCrosse, SUNY-New Paltz, and Hamilton College during the trip. Returning home, CSB fell to Bethel (9-0) before bouncing back with a strong 6-3 win over Macalester. The team then split its next four matches, with wins over Concordia-Moorhead (7-2) and losses to St. Catherine (8-1) and Hamline (6-3). In the most recent outing against Hamline, CSB saw strong singles performances from
Marie Labenski,
Lila Collins, and
Allyson Yahn. Labenski has been a standout in recent matches, running her singles win streak to four and remaining unbeaten at 4-0 this season. Collins holds a team-best 7-4 singles record, while Yahn improved to 6-6 overall with a gritty three-set win at Hamline.
Opponent Preview – Saint Mary's
Under the leadership of longtime head coach Jeff Halberg (270 career wins), the Cardinals enter Saturday's match with a 12-8 overall record and 2-7 in MIAC play. They recently earned a 4-3 win over UW-Stout and suffered close losses to St. Scholastica and Hamline. In singles, Saint Mary's is 67-53 overall and 17-37 in the conference. In doubles, the team sits at 35-25, including 9-18 against MIAC opponents.
Series History – CSB vs. Saint Mary's
The Bennies lead the all-time series, 26-5, including a 9-0 win in their most recent meeting on April 19, 2024. CSB holds a 14-3 record at home and 11-2 mark on the road against the Cardinals.
Opponent Preview – Gustavus
Sunday's opponent, Gustavus, brings a strong 14-7 record into the weekend and remains unbeaten in MIAC play at 2-0. Under the guidance of 35th-year coach Jon Carlson, who has led the program to 24 MIAC titles and a national championship in 1990, the Gusties are coming off a 5-2 win over No. 23 Denison on April 5. Gustavus has dominated in both singles (123-62 overall, 12-0 MIAC) and doubles (72-36 overall, 6-0 MIAC) play this season.
Series History – CSB vs. Gustavus
The Bennies continue to chase their first win against the Gusties, trailing the all-time series 0-34. Last season, Gustavus earned an 8-1 win on April 21, 2024. CSB is 0-15 at home and 0-18 on the road in the series.
By the Numbers – CSB Team Leaders
- Singles
- Doubles
- Labenski/Steinhaus: 3-2
- Collins/Marohl: 2-3 (all MIAC)
- Jonas/Perbix: 1-5 (1-4 MIAC)
