THIS WEEK IN BILLIKEN TENNIS
Monday, April 17 • Men at Northern Illinois • 11 a.m.
Thursday, April 20 • Women and men vs. Duquesne in Dayton, Ohio • 8 a.m. CT
 
Saint Louis tennis concludes the regular season this week. The Billiken men play at Northern Illinois Monday, and both teams take on Atlantic 10 Conference opponent Duquesne Thursday in Dayton, Ohio.
 
Live results for all three matches are available on www.SLUBillikens.com.
 
Men's Preview
The Billikens (14-4) will compete for the first time in 12 days and will try to snap a two-match skid when they take on Northern Illinois.
 
SLU needs one more win to match the third-highest victory total in program history.
 
Ryota Fukushima (13-4) leads the team in dual-meet singles victories. Luca Lo Nardo (11-2) and Sansh Kumar (11-2) are next, followed by Adam Behun (10-4). Lo Nardo is riding a five-match winning streak.
 
The Billikens have been most successful at No. 4, winning at a .786 clip (11-3). SLU has an overall singles success rate of .739 (68-24).
 
Lo Nardo tops the Saint Louis dual-meet doubles chart with 10 wins (10-4), including 6-0 at No. 3.
 
A four-match losing streak has dropped Northern Illinois' record to 12-10. The Billikens and Huskies have faced one common opponent, both defeating Chicago State.
 
Duquesne is 8-6. The Billikens and Dukes have played two common opponents, both beating Chicago State and Saint Francis (Pa.).
 
"Duquesne in the past has been a good match for us," head coach Justin Stuckey said. "They are an improved team from last year, so we will have to be ready to compete. Our focus is the key to this match."
 
Women's Preview
The Billikens, who won two of three matches last week, stand at 16-6. The 16 victories match the third-highest total in program history; SLU needs one more win to equal the second-highest total.
 
Elizabeth Mintusova has a team-high 22 singles wins (22-6) this season. Mintusova is tied for 13th on Saint Louis' all-time single-season list; one more victory will lift her into the top 10.
 
Mintusova (15-3) and Mya Spencer (15-4) are tied for the team lead in dual-meet victories. Both players own 12 straight-sets dual wins, and both have established a career high in dual triumphs.
 
Sandra Gines has won eight of her last 10 completed singles matches to boost her record to 13-4. Fiorella Duran is the fourth Billiken to reach double figures in dual-meet victories (11), while Ksenia Aleshina and Norhan Hesham are knocking on the door with nine apiece.
 
The Billikens have been strongest at No. 1 and No. 6 singles, winning at a pace of .789 and .778, respectively.
 
In doubles, Mintusova and Aleshina are 18-2 overall and 12-1 in duals (all at No. 2).
 
Mintusova has 24 total doubles victories (24-2), tying for fourth on the Billikens' all-time single-season list. The Saint Louis record is 26.
 
Spencer and Hesham carry a 10-5 mark at No. 1 doubles.
 
Duquesne brings a 9-7 record into Thursday's match. The Billikens and Dukes have met two common opponents, both downing Dayton and Saint Francis (Pa.).
 
"It's been a while since we've played Duquesne, and they have some new players who are major contributors to their team," Stuckey said. "Our doubles play has improved the last few matches, as has the competitiveness in our singles matches. We'll have to use the lessons we've learned throughout the season with our starts in singles and doubles to help us in this match."