WINONA, Minn. — It was just the kind of season-openers Jeff Halberg was hoping for.

The Saint Mary's University men's and women's tennis teams both opened their seasons in impressive fashion Satuday, dropping Macalester by identical 6-3 scores.

The road to those 6-3 wins, however, was anything but identical.

The Cardinal men picked up wins in the first five singles matches, and added a win at No. 1 doubles en route to its first win of the year.

The SMU women, meanwhile, swept the three doubles matches, and got singles wins at No. 2, No. 4 and No. 6 to seal their season-opening triumph.

"It was a great day for us," said Halberg. "The men's team put in a supreme effort to get the win. They were down 2-1 after the doubles, and absolutely refused to lose. I could not have asked for more from them.

"On the women's side, it was a good, solid team effort," Halberg continued. "We've still got things we need to work on, but their effort was right on."

Tyler Stevenson (Neenah, Wis.), Mark Leeder (Milwaukee, Wis.) and Geoff Granseth (Winona, Minn.) all posted straight-set singles wins for the Cardinals, while Bryan Haville (Onalaska, Wis.) and Chad Brusky (Fond du Lac, Wis.) were taken to the maximum three sets before coming out victories. Stevenson and Leeder then teamed for an 8-4 win at No. 1 doubles.

Christina Tobin (Oak Park, Ill.), AManda Clark (Waseca, Minn.) and Angie Beissel (Hastings, Minn.) were singles winners for the women, with the doubles teams of Nicole Hilo (Mendota Heights, Minn.)-Clark, Jennifer Duffy (Chicago, Ill.)-Beissel, and Anna Tomes (Stillwater, Minn.)-Cassie Czech (Foley, Minn.) also victorious.

Singles
1. Melissa Lavasani, Mac def Nicole Hilo, SMU 4-6, 6-3, 10-2
2. Christina Tobin, SMU def Gina Huss, Mac 6-0, 6-2
3. Erin Case, Mac def Allison Ast, SMU 7-5, 6-1
4. Amanda Clark, SMU def MaryLin Kessnich, Mac 7-6(5), 6-1
5. Robyn Shindeldecker, Mac def Jennifer Duffy, SMU 6-3, 5-7, 11-9
6. Angie Beissel, SMU def Barb Natali, Mac 6-1, 6-4

Doubles
1. Hilo/Clark, SMU def Lavasani/Huss, Mac 8-0
2. Duffy/Beissel, SMU def Case/Kessnich, Mac 8-2
3. Anna Tomes/Cassie Czech, SMU def Shindeldecker/Natali, Mac 8-3