Match Summary | GameDay Preview

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. — Saint Mary's University women's tennis coach Jeff Halberg had a hunch that Sunday's season-ending Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match against Saint Benedict would be a nail-biter that went right down to the wire.

How right he was.

Unfortunately, it was the Blazers who came up with a 7-5, 6-4 win at No. 6 singles to break a 4-4 tie and lift CSB to a 5-4 victory over the Cardinals.

“We played a great match today,” said Halberg. “We were always one (win) behind, but we never gave in. Lexi (Felten) played an awesome match (at No. 5) singles to tie it up, 4-4, we just couldn't get that last one — but was just a great match nonetheless.”

The Blazers opened a 2-1 lead after the doubles play, with Katie Krull (Rochester, Minn.)/Lindsey Reinisch (Hastings, Minn.) earning SMU's win with an 8-5 victory at No. 3.

Krull and Deanne Webber (Reedsburg, Wis.) recorded straight-set singles wins for the Cardinals, and Felten outlasted CSB's Aly Dahlquist 4-6, 7-6, 10-7 at No. 5 to pull SMU even, but Stef Havermeir held off a hard-charging Leanne Cleveland (La Crosse, Wis.) 7-5, 6-4 at No. 6 to seal the win.

“You can't ask for any more than the ladies gave today,” said Halberg, whose Cardinals close out the season 2-8 in conference play and 10-10 overall. “Everyone played their hearts out.”