Match Summary

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota entered Saturday afternoon's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match against Carleton having won its season-opener in each of the last four seasons.
 
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, Carleton proved to play the role of streak-killers, as the Knights handed Saint Mary's an 8-1 setback at the Winona Tennis Center.
 
"We played well, but not well enough," said Saint Mary's coach Jeff Halberg. "We were competing and creating chances, now we just need to learn how to finish."
 
Carleton raced out to a 2-1 lead after the doubles competition, with Brett Geisen (Cato, Wis.)-Andrew Johnson (Rochester, Minn.) collecting an 8-1 win for the Cardinals.
 
The Knights swept through the singles portion, winning five of the six matches in straight sets. Saint Mary's Tim Wolford (Maple Grove, Minn.) dropped a heartbreaker at No. 1, falling in three sets, 7-6, 3-6, 10-6.
 
The Cardinals (0-1 MIAC, 0-1 overall) are back on their home Winona Tennis Center courts next weekend for four nonconference matches, hosting Bethany Lutheran in a 5 p.m. match on Friday, entertaining Luther (11 a.m.) and St. Norbert (5 p.m.) on Saturday, and closing out the weekend with a home match against Martin Luther (3 p.m.) on Sunday.