T. PETER, Minn. — After opening the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament with an impressive 6-3 win over Bethel on Friday, things just went from bad to worse for the Saint Mary's University women's tennis team.

Not only did the Cardinals drop a 9-0 decision to Gustavus in the quarterfinals, but they were also swept by St. Olaf 9-0, then suffered a heartbreaking 6-3 loss to St. Benedict in the seventh-place match on Saturday.

"It was a little disappointing to end the way we did — because both the St. Olaf match and the St. Ben's matches were a lot closer than the scores indicated," said SMU coach Jeff Halberg, whose team closes out its season with an eight-place finish in the tournament and a 9-14 dual-meet record. "We played fairly well in both matches (on Saturday), and really were in position to beat both teams — we were that close."

How close is that?

Against the Oles, SMU held the lead in all three doubles matches — including 7-3 at No. 3 — and lost all three.

Amanda Clark (Omaha, Neb.) and Nicole Hilo (Mendota Heights, Minn.) were 8-6 losers at No. 1 doubles, while Joni Peterson (New London, Minn.) and Cassie Czech (Foley, Minn.) fell 8-3 at No. 2 and Angie Beissel (Hastings, Minn.) and Jennifer Duffy (Chicago, Ill.) lost six straight points to fall 9-7 at No. 3.

"It was a tough way to start the match — to let all three of those doubles matches slip away like that, it carried over and had a definite effect on our singles play," said Halberg, whose team won just one set in the six singles matches, as Hilo dropped a 6-3, 2-6, 10-5 decision at No. 3.

As if things weren't frustrating enough, the Cardinals' doubles teams turned in a repeat performance in the seventh-place match against St. Benedict, as two of SMU's doubles teams lost leads late — transforming what could have been a 5-4 win into a 6-3 loss.

Peterson and Czech couldn't hold a 6-5 advantage at No. 2 doubles, falling 8-6, while Beissel and Duffy led 6-3, only to fall 9-7.

"In the two matches (on Saturday), we were 0-6 in doubles — but we could have easily been 6-0," said Halberg. "If we win those two doubles matches, along with the three singles wins (three-set victories by Hilo at No. 1, Peterson at No. 2 and Allison Ast (Conway Springs, Kan.) at No. 6), we win the match 5-4.

"I was proud of the way the team played all season," continued Halberg. "Right now, our biggest trouble is that we don't believe enough in our own abilities. Sometimes I think we get too caught up in who we're playing and we psyche ourselves out.

"This team came a long way this season, and as disappointed as they probably feel (about the season-ending losses), it was a good season."

Singles
1. Janelle Sagness (STO) d. Joni Peterson, 6-4, 6-4
2. Beth Erie (STO) d. Amanda Clark, 6-4, 6-3
3. Jennifer Ison (STO) d. Nicole Hilo, 6-3, 2-6, 10-5
4. Emily Eggert (STO) d. Cassie Czech, 6-3, 6-3
5. Kristen Buchta (STO) d. Angie Beissel, 6-2, 6-1
6. Jamie Brau (STO) d. Allison Ast, 6-4, 6-2

Doubles
1. Sagness-Yvonne Yang (STO) d. Clark-Hilo, 8-6
2. Buchta-Erie (STO) d. Czech-Peterson, 8-3
3. Eggert-Ison (STO) d. Beissel-Jennifer Duffy, 9-7