BURNSVILLE, Minn. — If Saint Mary's University women's tennis coach Jeff Halberg had to sum up his team's season to this point, he could just point to Beth Carroll's (Chicago, Ill.) match against St. Catherine's Renae Bebler on Sunday and say, "there's you answer."

Carroll's match against Bebler on Sunday was one of the most exciting matches of the season — a three-setter, with all three sets going to a tiebreaker.

Problem was, as has been the Cardinals' trademark this season, the tiebreakers didn't go in Carroll's favor as she lost at No. 5 singles, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (5), 10-8.

And, Carroll's loss proved to be a sign of things to come as SMU — despite playing what Halberg tabbed a solid match — dropped an 8-1 decision to the Wildcats.

"St. Catherine is a very good team, and I thought, despite the final score, the match was a lot closer," Halberg said. "We played great in doubles, and I thought we did a nice job at singles — they were just too deep in singles for us."

Despite her disappointing singles loss, Carroll did have a hand in SMU's lone win, teaming with Allison Ast (Conway Springs, Kan.) to post an 8-6 win at No. 2 doubles.

St. Catherine used its depth to sweep the singles matches, winning four of the six matches in straight sets, while Carroll and Joni Peterson (New London, Minn.) — a 5-7, 6-1, 10-3 loser at No. 1 — extended the Wildcats to the maximum three sets.

Singles
1. Christin Tiegs (SC) d. Joni Peterson, 5-7, 6-1, 10-3
2. Biggs Rolfsrud (SC) d. Nicole Hilo, 6-0, 6-0
3. Deidee Lindstrom (SC) d. Allison Ast, 6-0, 6-0
4. Amy Willhite (SC) d. Jennifer Duffy, 6-1, 6-0
5. Renae Bebler (SC) d. Beth Carroll, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (5), 10-8
6. Nikki Richter (SC) d. Dena Bing, 6-2, 6-0

Doubles
1. Tiegs-Rolfsrud (SC) d. Peterson-Hilo, 8-5
2. Ast-Carroll (SMU) d. Bebler-Richter, 8-6
3. Lindstrom-Willhite (SC) d. Bing-Angie Beissel, 8-3