MERRILLVILLE, Ind. - The Ashford University men's tennis team kept rolling as the spring season winds down to a close later this month, recording a pair of 9-0 shutout victories against Purdue University-Calumet and Indiana University-East over the weekend.

The Saints picked up wins No. 12 and 13 on the year while suffering a tough defeat against the University of St. Francis (Ill.) in Saturday's dual by a 2-7 decision. Ashford has held its opponents scoreless with a 9-0 score in eight of its 12 victories this season.

Ashford is now competing for a bid in the NAIA Regional Tournament in Joliet, Ill., in the last week of April and the only match left on the schedule, a head-to-head battle against St. Ambrose University, will determine who represents the Midwest Collegiate Conference to begin postseason play.

Only one team would then advance from the regional to the NAIA National Championships out of the MCC, Wolverine Hoosier Conference, Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference and the highest rated at-large bid in the Saints' division (the best team that does not rank first in its conference).

"I think we did pretty well and beat the teams we should have beaten," AU Head Coach Chad Fenwick said. "We stayed close, but couldn't break through against St. Francis. With a young team, we're still learning to win close matches and that comes with experience. We've got a good shot with St. Ambrose coming, but they're a tough team."

The Saints kept hapless Purdue Calumet out of the winning column in Merrillville, Ind., at Andrean High School on Friday afternoon, sending the Peregrines to a 0-9 season record. In five of the Saints' singles matchups, each student-athlete came away with a shutout set.

Freshman Jake Dunn of Cody, Wyo., salvaged a near-St. Francis singles sweep on Saturday, ousting Nikola Milenkovic in three sets, including a marathon-like 13-11 final set. Dunn then teamed up with fellow freshman Moises Hernandez of San Salvador, El Salvador, to account for the Saints' other point with a doubles victory, 8-6.

Composite results are not yet available from the dual against Indiana University-East.