By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's tennis team is back in action on Friday, as the Cardinals host Northwestern (Minn.) in a 6 p.m. nonconference match at the Winona Tennis Center
 
The Matchups:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (1-0 Overall) vs. Northwestern Eagles (0-0 Overall)
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's: January 25, 2019 * Winona, Minn.: The Cardinals kicked off their 2019 season in impressive fashion, rolling to a 9-0 nonconference win over Martin Luther at the Winona Tennis Center | Recap
• Northwestern: Friday's nonconference match at Saint Mary's is the season-opener for the Eagles.
 
Saint Mary's vs. Northwestern  — Their Last Meeting:
• April 19, 2017 * Winona, Minn.: Saint Mary's and Northwestern entered their nonconference match at the Winona Tennis Center having won a combined 11 straight matches — the Cardinals took the courts having won each of its last four, while the visiting Eagles were riding a seven-match winning streak. Unfortunately, when the dust settled from the teams' battle, it was the Eagles' winning streak that remained in tact, as Northwestern outlasted the Cardinals' 5-4 | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals are now off until next Saturday (Feb. 9), when they travel to St. Peter, Minn., for matches against Gustavus (10 a.m.) and St. Scholastica (2:30 p.m.).
• Northwestern: The Eagles are back in action next Saturday (Feb. 9), heading to STA-Fit Tennis Center in Sartell, Minn., for a 4:30 p.m. nonconference match against Saint Benedict.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals: 
2019 Roster | 2019 Schedule | 2019 Statistics
• With their season-opening win over Martin Luther on Jan. 25, the Cardinals have now opened the season with a 9-0 victory in four straight seasons. … The Cardinals are now 12-0 in their last 12 meetings with Martin Luther. … The Cardinals head into Friday's match against Northwestern boasting a 50-18 record against nonconference opponents since 2012. … Colleen Lois (Green Bay, Wis.) and Julia Boeve (St. James, Minn.) led the way for the Cardinals against Martin Luther last Friday, posting 6-0, 6-0 wins at No. 3 and No. 4 singles, respectively. … Boeve's win at No. 4 singles against Martin Luther pushed her winning streak to 11 straight. … Laura Sonday (West St. Paul, Minn.), Cassandra Barr (Eau Claire, Wis.), Kailee Johnson (Rochester, Minn.), and Madyson Schreiber (Edwardsville, Ill.) also picked up singles wins against MLC last Friday. … The singles wins were the first dual-match victories for both Johnson and Schreiber. … Sonday — who shared the team lead in singles wins a year ago (16) with Boeve — played her 60th consecutive match at No. 1 singles against Martin Luther last Friday. … Sonday/Lois, Barr/Kennedy Morgan (Green Bay, Wis.), and Marissa Kinzer (Aitkin, Minn.)/Ashley Fredrickson (St. James, Minn.) picked up doubles wins vs. Martin Luther last Friday. … Sonday earned All-MIAC singles and doubles honors following her junior season a year ago, while Boeve collected her first collegiate First-Team All-MIAC singles honor, and Lois (Green Bay, Wis.) was a First-Team All-MIAC doubles selection in her first year as a Cardinal. … 
 
Scouting The Northwestern Eagles:
2019 Roster | 2019 Schedule | 2018 Final Statistics
• The Eagles head into Friday's nonconference showdown against Saint Mary's coming off a 14-11 season in 2018 — including a near-perfect 6-1 showing in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). … The Eagles, who return four All-UMAC honorees from the 2018 season, were picked to finish second in the UMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, garnering three first-place votes and 44 points, just three points back of No. 1 St. Scholastica. … Northwestern reached the title match of the 2018 UMAC Tournament, falling to St. Scholastica 5-4. … Nikki Edin Paskewitz, Gracie LeBrun, Shawna Spears, and Emily Knight all return after earning All-UMAC honors a year ago. … Paskewitz collected a team-leading 14 singles wins in 2018. She was one of six Eagles with 10 or more singles wins last season, being joined by Brooke Lapinski (13), Lebrun (12), Knight (11), Jessica Gross (11), and Spears (10). … Paskewitz heads into the Eagles' season-opener against Saint Mary's riding a seven-match winning streak. … Northwestern dropped just six of 42 singles matches in UMAC play last season, led by Lebrun, Spears, and Gross — who all finished 6-1. … Northwestern posted a 20-5 record at No. 2 singles last season, while going 15-10 at No. 1, 13-12 at Nos. 3, 5 and 6, and 11-14 at No. 4. … Paskewitz also owned the team lead in doubles wins with 16, one more than both Knight and Mafee Rinta. Spears (14), Lapinski (13), and Lebrun (13) also closed out the year with more than 10 doubles wins. … The Eagles lost just one doubles match in conference play last season, compiling a 20-1 record. … The doubles team of Lapinski/Paskewitz ended 2018 winning their last six doubles matches. … Northwestern closed out the year 8-4 on its home court, while going 4-6 on the road and 2-1 in neutral-site matches.