Match Summary | GameDay Preview

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Saint Mary's University women's tennis team found the competition doubly tough Wednesday morning, as the Cardinals not only battled a talented Morningside College team, but they also had to overcome windy playing conditions.

And try as they might, the Cardinals could not overcome either, as Morningside handed SMU a heartbreaking 5-4 nonconference setback in the team's final match of their spring trip.

“It was a tough way for the trip to come to an end — the ladies played their hearts out,” said SMU coach Jeff Halberg. “I was very proud of the way we battled, against, a very difficult team — and under extremely difficult playing conditions.”

SMU opened with wins in two of the three doubles matches, and added a pair of singles wins by Deanne Webber (Reedsburg, Wis.) and Katie Krull (Rochester, Minn.), but it wasn't enough to get past the Mustangs.

Webber recorded a hard-fought 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) win at No. 2 singles, while Krull outlasted Morningside's Katie Hanson 6-4, 2-6, 11-9 at No. 4. Webber also had a hand in one of SMU's two doubles wins, teaming with Lindsey Reinisch (Hastings, Minn.) for an 8-6 win at No. 2. Grace Zachman (Elk River, Minn.) and Lexi Felten (Waukesha, Wis.) chipped in a 9-8 win at No. 1 doubles for the Cardinals.

SMU (3-4 overall) is now off until March 15, when the Cardinals return to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a home match against Hamline.