Mustangs open 2025 with pair of Division III sweeps

SAINT PETER, MINN. – Morningside's men's tennis team opened the second half of its season on Saturday, defeating National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Gustavus Adolphus, who is ranked no. 16 nationally, 4-3 and DIII Carleton College 6-1.

A quick doubles sweep started yesterday's matches on the right foot, as Mathys Arnold and Jesse Gerth picked up a 6-2 win. Marcos Menendez Hervella and Alexis Diaz followed with a 6-4 victory to secure the doubles point. Mark Trenkle and Santiago Minetti completed the sweep 7-6 with a 7-3 tiebreaker.

A pair of wins in singles for the Gusties gave them the lead until Diaz polished off a 6-3, 7-6 victory with a 6-1 tiebreaker to even the match score at 2-2. Jesse Gerth put Morningside in the driver's seat again with a 6-4, 6-3 victory and Mathys Arnold clinched the program's first-ever win over Gustavus Adolphus with a 6-4, 6-3 win.

The Mustangs quickly went to work in the nightcap against Carleton, picking up the no. 2 and no. 3 doubles matches as no. 3 Arnold and Gerth and no. 2 Menendez Hervella and Diaz each won 6-2.

Arnold completed his 4-0 day as the match moved to singles play, checking in first with a 6-1, 6-2 victory. Gerth followed suit with a 6-3, 6-4 win. Diaz added another 4-0 day as he clinched the team win 6-4, 6-4. 

Minetti won his no. 4 match over Carleton 7-6 with a 6-3 tiebreaker, 6-1. Trenkle wrapped up the match after falling behind 4-6 in his opening set with a 6-3 set and a 10-7 super tiebreaker.

Morningside's next outing comes on Feb. 8 as the Mustangs head to Kansas City to play Missouri Baptist.

Gustavus Adolphus

Doubles

1. Mark Trenkle/Santiago Minetti def. Rafael Costa/Luke Fridinger 7-6 (7-3)

2. Marcos Menendez Hervella/Alexis Diaz def. Takura Mhwandagara/Ali Derbani 6-4

3. Mathys Arnold/Jesse Gerth def. Noah Hakim/Owen Skanse 6-2

Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1

Singles

1. Luke Fridinger def. Mark Trenkle 7-6 (6-3), 7-5

2. Tyler Haddorff def. Marcos Menendez Hervella 6-4, 6-3

3. Alexis Diaz def. Takura Mhwandagara 6-3, 7-6 (6-1)

4. Noah Hakim def. Santiago Minetti 6-3, 6-2

5. Mathys Arnold def. Ali Derbani 7-6 (12-10), 6-1

6. Jesse Gerth def. Quinn Monson 6-4, 6-3

Order of Finish: 4, 2, 3, 6, 5, 1

Carleton

Doubles

1. Jack Rivkin/Akshay Garapati def. Mark Trenkle/Santiago Minetti 6-4

2. Marcos Menendez Hervella/Alexis Diaz def. Zach Leslie/Baiyun Jing 6-2

3. Mathys Arnold/Jesse Gerth def. Aiden Patel/Ezra Bernhard 6-2

Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1

Singles

1. Mark Trenkle def. Baiyun Jing 4-6, 6-3, 10-7

2. Jasper Yang def. Marcos Menendez Hervella 6-3, 3-6, 10-7

3. Alexis Diaz def. Aiden Patel 6-4, 6-4

4. Santiago Minetti def. Ezra Bernhard 7-6 (6-3), 6-1

5. Mathys Arnold def. Zach Leslie 6-1, 6-2

6. Jesse Gerth def. Jack Rivkin 6-3, 6-4

Order of Finish: 5, 6, 2, 3, 4, 1