By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — Oh, so close.
 
The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's tennis team rallied from a 2-1 deficit after the three doubles matches, but had their rally cut just short, as Concordia won two of three singles matches that went to a decisive third set in dealing the Cardinals a heartbreaking 5-4 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback Sunday at the Winona Tennis Center.
 
"That was a tough, tough loss," said Saint Mary's coach Jeff Halberg. "They were down 2-1 after doubles, but battled back so hard, giving themselves a chance in the end — the effort just wasn't quite enough.
 
"I'm very proud of the effort they put forth today."
 
Robbie Sobczak (Cloquet and Gabe Graves (Columbine, Colo.) combined for an 8-1 win at No. 3 doubles, while Bobby Tiedemann (Euclid, Minn.)/Trevor Smiley (Minnetonka, Minn.) and Alec Rudh (Hastings, Minn.)/Brandon Kurilla (Hastings, Minn.) dropped identical 8-4 decisions at No. 1 and No. 2, leaving Saint Mary's staring at a 2-1 deficit heading into the six singles matches.
 
Tiedemann and Sobczak delivered straight-set singles wins at No. 1 and no. 3, respectively, while Smiley rallied from a set down to win 0-6, 6-1, 10-8 at No. 4. Kurilla and Graves were not as fortunate in their three-setters at No. 5 and No. 6, as both won the first set, only to drop the next two — Kurilla falling 4-6, 6-4, 10-5, while Graves dropped a marathon 3-6, 6-3, 11-9.
 
The Cardinals (0-7 MIAC, 4-9 overall) step out of conference play next weekend, hosting Crown in a 6 p.m. matchup at the Winona Tennis Center on Friday, before heading to the Pleasant Valley Tennis Center in Jackson, Wis., for an 11:30 a.m. showdown with Concordia (Wis.) on Sunday.