Ripon's men's tennis team is off to their best start to a conference season in 16 years. The Red Hawks earned a pair of road victories Saturday, winning 6-3 at Monmouth, before defeating Illinois College 9-0 to improve to 2-0 in conference play.

Ripon (5-6, 2-0 MWC) won all three doubles matches against the Fighting Scots (0-8, 0-1 MWC). Drew Jorgesen and Marcus Austin teamed up at the top flight to win a nailbiter 8-7 (11-9). The team of Jayden Francis and Ty Rondestvedt was also victorious by an 8-6 score at the second flight, while Preston Wurtz and Calvin Battle teamed up to win 8-4 at number three doubles.

In singles play, Austin won his number four flight match 6-1, 6-1. Rondestvedt and Francis also earned a victory at the number five and six flights, respectively by scores of 6-0, 6-0 and 6-3, 6-0.

Ripon's second match of the day was a bit less stressful, as they won all three doubles matches ad all six singles matches. In doubles play, Jorgensen and Austin were again victorious at the top flight, 8-6, while Rondestvedt/Francis and Battle/Wurtz won at the second and third flights, respectively by scores of 8-4 and 8-0.

In singles play against the Blueboys (0-10, 0-1 MWC), Jorgensen won his number one flight match 6-2, 6-2, while Battle won at the second flight, 6-2, 6-0. Wurtz ad Austin earned victories at the third and fourth flights, respectively, by scores of 6-1, 6-0 and 6-0, 6-0. Rondestvedt won at the fifth flight, 4-1, 1-0, while Francis earned a 6-0, 6-2 victory at the sixth flight.

The Red Hawks will try to keep things rolling on Wednesday when they'll host Lawrence University at 6:30 p.m. in The Field House at Willmore Center in Ripon.