Match Summary | GameDay Preview

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's tennis team had never faced Northwestern (Iowa) prior to Friday's nonconference match at the Winona Tennis Center.
 
And, thanks in part to the performance of Kirsten Hoffmann (Apple Valley, Minn.) at No. 1 singles, the Cardinals made their first-ever matchup a memorable one.
 
Hoffmann rallied from a pair of healthy deficits in the third-set tiebreaker to record a 6-2, 4-6, 10-8 victory, and propel the Cardinals to a 5-4 win.
 
"What a great match—the ladies just refused to lose," said Cardinal coach Jeff Halberg. "This was a true team win—clinched by Kirsten's three-set win over an NAIA All-American (Frankie Eszes)."
 
The Cardinals fell behind 2-1 after the three doubles matches, with Hoffmann and Megan Vandenberg (De Pere, Wis.) teaming for Saint Mary's lone win, an 8-4 victory at No. 1.
 
Vandenberg and Haley Jorgensen (Fallon, Nev.) picked up straight-set singles wins at No. 2 and No. 3, while Stacey Buss (Chicago, Ill.) chipped in a hard-fought, 6-4, 3-6, 10-4 win at No. 4 to pull the Cardinals even, 4-4—and set up Hoffmann's three-set heroics at No. 1.
 
The Cardinals (3-3 overall) are now off until next Friday, when they entertain Hamline in a 5 p.m. Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match at the Winona Tennis Center.