By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
ST. PETER, Minn. — For the second week in a row, the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's tennis team took the court against the best the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference had to offer.
 
Just seven days after dispatching of Northwestern — the UMAC Tournament champion and NCAA Division III national tournament qualifier — 7-2 in a nonconference match at the Winona Tennis Center, the Cardinals were at it again Saturday afternoon.
 
This time around, the opponent was St. Scholastica — the 22-time defending UMAC regular season champion, and the pick to make it 23 straight according to the 2019 UMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
 
Unfortunately for coach Jeff Halberg, the final score may have been the same — but the victor wasn't — as St. Scholastica jumped out to a 2-1 lead after doubles and took five of the six singles matches in beating the Cardinals 7-2.
 
"The guys just didn't get their A game going today," said Halberg. "We competed hard, but were not taking advantage of some of the breakthroughs we created.
 
"Still, I love our fight."
 
Gave Graves (Columbine, Colo.) and Brandon Johnson (St. James, Minn.) picked up the Cardinals' doubles win, posting 9-8 (3) marathon at No. 3, while Brandon Kurilla (Hastings, Minn.) delivered a 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 4 singles. Along with his doubles match, Graves also played a marathon singles contest, falling at No. 5, 6-4, 1-6, 8-10.
 
The Cardinals (2-2 overall) are back in action next Saturday, when they return home to the Winona Tennis Center for nonconference matches against St. Norbert (12:30 p.m.) and Wartburg (6 p.m.).