By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
ST. PETER, Minn. — New day, new result for Saint Mary's University of Minnesota's Connor Roop (La Crosse, Wis.).
 
Roop, who dropped a 6-1, 6-2 decision to UW-Eau Claire's Collin Sebring in his collegiate debut during opening-round play of the Midwest Open Friday, collected win No. 1 as a Cardinal on Saturday, outlasting Bethany Lutheran's Nico Martinez 8-6. Roop's run, however, came to an end in his second match of the day, falling to UW-Whitewater's Bob Kinnard 8-1.
 
Alec Rudh (Hastings, Minn.) dropped an 8-2 decision to Wartburg's Jonathon Lansink during Saturday's Midwest Open singles play, while Brandon Kurilla (Hastings, Minn.) fell short in a singles marathon against Bethel's Joey Mueller, 8-7.
 
Brandon Johnson (St. James, Minn.) lost an 8-4 decision to Bethany Lutheran's Sam Li, and the doubles teams of Trevor Smiley (Minnetonka, Minn.)-Nolan Smiley (Minnetonka, Minn.) and Graves-Bobby Tiedemann (Euclid, Minn.) suffered 8-2 and 8-7 (6) setbacks in doubles action.
The Cardinals kick off their 2019 spring season on Jan. 25, entertaining Martin Luther in a 6 p.m. match at the Winona Tennis Center. Saint Mary's will begin Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play a day later, hosting Carleton at noon, also at the Winona Tennis Center.