ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – With the regular season entering its final stretch, the College of Saint Benedict tennis team (5-7, 3-4 MIAC) returns to the court this week for a trio of conference matchups that are taking on added significance.

Weekend Slate
The Bennies open with Macalester (9-7, 4-4 MIAC) on Thursday at Sta-Fit in Sartell, Minn., with the first serve set for 5 p.m. Originally the match was to be played in St. Paul, Minn., but weather concerns forced the move indoors to Sta-Fit. From there, Saint Benedict travels to St. Paul, Minn., for an 11:30 a.m. match on April 25 against Bethel (17-1, 6-1 MIAC), before closing out the regular season April 26 at 11 a.m. against Carleton (12-5, 8-1 MIAC). The MIAC Championships are scheduled for April 28 through May 2 with the top six teams in the league advancing. CSB is currently tied for sixth in the MIAC with Hamline (3-4 MIAC records).

Scouting the Opponents
Macalester enters the week under the direction of first-year head coach Chase Johnson with a 9-7 overall record and a 4-4 mark in conference play. Historically, the Bennies have held the edge in the series, leading 22-12, including a 6-3 win the last time the two teams met on March 30, 2025.

Bethel, ranked No. 24 and led by 14th-year head coach Drew Fernelius, carries momentum into the matchup despite its lone recent loss coming April 10 against Carleton. The Bennies maintain a 22-13 advantage in the all-time series with the Royals.

Carleton, coached by Luciano Battaglini in his 17th season, sits at 12-5 overall and 8-1 in MIAC play. In the all-time series, Saint Benedict trails, 32-6.

By the Numbers – CSB Tennis
Led by longtime head coach Jack Bowe, Saint Benedict has relied on a balanced lineup throughout the season. In singles, sophomore Lila Collins (Brainerd, Minn.) paces the team with a 6-6 record at No. 4. Allyson Yahn (Pequot Lakes, Minn.) and Kaitlyn Rahne (Hutchinson, Minn.) have each contributed five wins, while Marie Labenski (Northfield, Minn.) has added four.

In doubles competition, the Bennies hold a 14-22 record, highlighted by the pairings of Claire Erdal (Brainerd, Minn.) and Collins, along with Yahn (Pequot Lakes, Minn.) and Ella Marohl (St. Cloud, Minn.), with each duo earning five wins.

Season Recap
The season itself has featured a mix of momentum swings. Saint Benedict opened with a loss to Hamline before responding with a 5-2 victory over St. Olaf, fueled by a sweep of five singles matches.

A spring break trip to Orlando presented stiff competition, as the Bennies fell to Franklin & Marshall and UW-La Crosse, but rebounded with a win over Edgewood.

Back in MIAC play, Saint Benedict dropped a match to Gustavus Adolphus before bouncing back in convincing fashion with a 5-2 victory over Concordia-Moorhead, sweeping doubles play and securing four singles wins. That momentum carried into a tightly contested 4-3 loss to Saint Mary's, where the Bennies claimed the doubles point and added singles victories from Collins (Brainerd, Minn.) and Labenski (Northfield, Minn.).

Saint Benedict followed with a 5-2 nonconference win over Northwestern–St. Paul, powered by a doubles sweep from Ellie Huber (Sioux Falls, S.D.) and Labenski (Northfield, Minn.), Yahn (Pequot Lakes, Minn.) and Marohl (St. Cloud, Minn.), and Collins (Brainerd, Minn.) and Erdal (Brainerd, Minn.). In singles play, Yahn, Collins, Labenski, and Rahne (Hutchinson, Minn.) each recorded victories to clinch the dual.

After a 7-0 home setback to Saint Catherine, the Bennies closed the stretch with a 4-3 win over St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn., setting the stage for a pivotal final weekend of conference play.