Match Summary vs. Macalester

LAKEVILLE, Minn. — Saint Mary's University women's tennis coach Jeff Halberg didn't need many words to sum up Wednesday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match against Macalester.

In fact, five words sufficed: A heartbreaker in a tiebreaker.

The Cardinals came out on the short end of a 5-4 conference decision, as Macalester's Lauren Dutkiewicz outlasted SMU's Abby Cooper (La Crosse, Wis.) — winning the first set in a 9-7 tiebreaker and the second in a 7-5 tiebreak.

“It was a four-hour battle that went right down to the wire,” said Halberg. “It was an up-and-down match that saw us lead 2-1 after the three doubles matches, only to fall behind 4-2 after the first three singles matches. We battled back to tie it 4-4, with No. 5 singles left to play.”

And what a showdown that proved to be, as Cooper had a set point in the first tiebreaker, before falling 9-7, then came up just short again in the second tiebreaker in match that lasted well over an hour.

“That was a great singles match — Abby played some great tennis, but came up just short,” said Halberg, who got straight-set singles wins from Rebecca Snyder (Eden Prairie, Minn.) — who remained perfect in singles play this season at 6-0 — and Toni Troumbly (Bovey, Minn.), while Bailey Edwards (Fond du Lac, Wis.)-Courtney Spartz (Western Springs, Ill.), and Snyder-Brianna Placek (Greendale, Wis.) teamed for 9-7 and 8-1 wins at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, respectively. “Everyone's a little heartbroken — it was such a tough match with some great tennis played.

“This group left everything on the court — they gave it all they had — and I couldn't be prouder of their effort.”