Match Summary | Photo Gallery | GameDay Preview

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's tennis team has a very good memory — and when the Cardinals squared off against Northwestern in a nonconference match against Northwestern, they weren't about to forget what happened a year ago.

And they were determined to not let it happen again.

The Eagles handed SMU a 7-2 setback in the teams' meeting a year, but it was the Cardinals who gained a bit of revenge, cruising to an 8-1 victory at the Winona Tennis Center.

“The guys wanted this one bad,” said SMU coach Jeff Halberg. “Northwestern took one from us a year ago, and the guys were determined to get a positive result today.

“Everyone played well — it was a good, team effort.”

The Cardinals opened, by sweeping the three doubles matches — Michael Lunka (Eagan, Minn.)-Bobby Steingraeber (La Crosse, Wis.) won 8-6 at No. 1, with Sam Puff (Eden Prairie, Minn.)-Gavin Smith (White Bear Lake, Minn.) adding an 8-2 win at No. 2 and Andrew Rangitsch (Oakdale, Minn.)-Collin Kaczorowski (Suamico, Wis.) posting an 8-3 victory at No. 3.

It was more SMU dominance in singles, as the Cardinals won five of the six matches in straight sets to seal the victory.

SMU (3-2 overall) is right back in action Saturday evening, hosting Loras in a 6:30 p.m. nonconference match at the Winona Tennis Center.