Match Summary | GameDay Preview

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The scenario was simple.

If the Saint Mary's University men's tennis team beat Macalester Saturday afternoon, the Cardinals would be a member of the six-team Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament.

A loss, and the Cardinals would be left on the outside looking in.

Punch that ticket — the Cardinals are going to the MIAC's dance.

But it was anything but easy.

SMU jumped out to a 2-1 lead after the doubles portion of the match, then followed that up with four singles wins — including a three-set victory at No. 1 — to secure the 6-3 conference win.

“The guys played with passion and determination today,” said SMU coach Jeff Halberg. “They knew exactly what was on the line, and they were not going to be denied.”

Michael Lunka (Eagan, Minn.) and Sam Puff (Eden Prairie, Minn.) teamed for an 8-2 win at No. 1 doubles, while Andrew Rangitsch (Oakdale, Minn.) and Collin Kaczorowski (Suamico, Wis.) chipped in an 8-6 win at No. 3 to give SMU a 2-1 advantage heading into singles.

Kaczorowski, Bobby Steingraeber (La Crosse, Wis.) and Gavin Smith (White Bear Lake, Minn.) posted straight-set singles wins, while Lunka needed three sets for his 6-2, 4-6, 10-6 victory at No. 1.

With his 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 5 singles, Kaczorowski notched his school record-setting 20th singles win of the season, breaking the mark set by Mark Leeder in 2005 and equaled by Tyler Stevenson in 2006.

The Cardinals, who closed out the regular season with a 4-5 conference mark and a 17-6 overall record, will now compete in the two-day MIAC Tournament next Friday and Saturday.