Injured Olson double-winner for MLC tennis

By JEREMY BEHNKE

Journal Sports Writer

MANKATO -- Martin Luther College men's tennis player Josh Olson probably didn't have a spot on his body that wasn't hurting in one way or another Monday in the Knights' nonconference match against Bethany Lutheran College Monday.

Olson already had a broken finger to start the season, then in a match against Bethany earlier, he hurt his abdominal muscles, forcing him to play in pain for the first half of the season. But as the saying goes, bad things come in three's as Olson was involved in a car accident last week.

Olson had a sore back and neck to go along with his previous injuries, but he didn't let the pain get the best of him as he managed to come out a double-winner Monday as he won 6-3, 6-3 at No. 3 singles, and he was part of the No. 2 doubles team that won 8-3.

The men's team defeated Bethany in convincing fashion by a score of 8-1 at Mankato Athletic & Tennis Center.

"He's a tough player," Martin Luther coach Arlen Koestler said. "He's hitting the ball well. He's kind of a confident player. He used to come over here [to the Athletic & Tennis Center] a lot. He just has fun playing."

Olson, who teamed with Mike Novotny in the doubles match, could often be seen stretching in between points.

"I pulled an ab earlier, so I'm pretty sore," Olson said. "My finger should be better after spring break. I'm really looking forward to the second half of the season." Olson improved his singles record to 3-2.

Novotny was also a double-winner as he defeated Tim Sheehan 6-2, 6-2 at No. 4 singles. He admitted that the doubles match started pretty slow, but they finally got things rolling late in the second game after trailing.

"We started off a little rusty, but we picked it up as the game went along," Novotny said.

Novotny's team lost the first game and trailed late in the second before making the necessary adjustments.

"We dropped the first game," he said. "They kind of surprised us at first. We weren't returning their serves as well. We got a lot of confidence after the second [game]."

The MLC No. 1 doubles team of Jeremy Joecks and Paul Johnson won 6-4.

"We played well as a team," Johnson said. "We each knew what we were going to do. Jeremy served well for us."

In singles action, Joecks ran into a tough athlete in Ramon Pinero. Pinero won the first set 7-5, but Joecks stormed back in the second and took a 4-2 lead before Pinero won the seventh game to make it 4-3 Joecks. Pinero was credited with the win due to time constraints and total games won.

"One of the sad things for us was that Jeremy didn't get to finish his match," Koestler said. "We don't know how it could've turned out."

Johnson played a tough all-around game at No. 2 singles as he won 6-1, 6-0.

On the women's side, Karen Lotito and Lucy Templeton got hot late in singles action, but it was a tough match in which they got off to a slow start that saw them lose 7-5 at No. 1 doubles

"We probably just weren't warmed up," Lotito said. "We got in a groove late. We were back-and-forth at the beginning."

Bethany swept the doubles matches and won four-of-six at the singles competition to win 6-3.

Templeton won her first match of the year at No.1 singles with a convincing 6-1, 6-1 decision.

"I really tried to remain focused," Templeton said. "I tried to move my feet. I was definitely feeling more confident."

Templeton also felt that getting to the net was key for her.

"I usually don't get to the net that much," she said. "It's a good feeling to get an overhand in."

Lotito was also a winner for the Knights as she defeated Michaela Pelz at No. 2 singles 7-6 (8-3). Katherine Valleskey won at No. 4 singles 6-3, 6-0, but the Knights lost, dropping to 0-4 on the year, while the men improved to 2-3.

The women travel to the University of Minnesota-Morris Thursday before heading to Austin Friday to play Riverland.

The men play Riverland Friday.

MLC MEN 8, BLC 1

SINGLES: 1--Ramon Pinero (BLC) def. Jeremy Joecks 7-5, 3-4; 2--Paul Johnson (MLC) def. Parker Burshem 6-1, 6-0; 3--Josh Olson (MLC) def. Derek Harstad 6-3, 6-3; 4--Mike Novotny (MLC) def. Tim Sheehan 6-2, 6-2; 5--Luther Tollefson (MLC) def. Luis Beraspid 6-3, 6-1; 6--Kevin Bode (MLC) def. Roy Chang 6-1, 6-0.

DOUBLES: 1--Jeremy Joecks and Paul Johnson (MLC) def. Ramon Pinero and Parker Burshem 6-4; 2--Josh Olson and Mike Novotny (MLC) def. Derek Harstad and Tim Sheehan 8-3; 3--Luther Tollefson and Kevin Bode (MLC) def. Luis Beraspid and Roy Chang 8-0.

BLC WOMEN 6, MLC 3

SINGLES: 1--Lucy Templeton (MLC) def. Chelsie Bengston 6-1, 6-1; 2--Karen Lotito (MLC) def. Michaela Pelz 7-6 (8-3); 3--Tonya Bengston (BLC) def. Katie Fischer 7-5, 1-2; 4--Katherine Valleskey (MLC) def. Karina Harstad 6-3, 6-0; 5--Meghan Braam (BLC) def. Amy Steffen 6-3, 1-0; 6--Jessica Bartels (BLC) def. Katie Danalis 6-3.

DOUBLES: 1--Chelsie Bengston and Michaela Pelz (BLC) def. Lucy Templeton and Karen Lotito 7-5; 2--Michaela Pelz and Karina Harstad (BLC) def. Katie Fischer and Katherine Valleskey 7-4; 3--Alicia Baratt and Meghan Braam (BLC) def. Amy Steffan and Katie Danalis 8-5.