WINONA, Minn. — The final score didn't tell the whole story in the Saint Mary's University men's tennis team's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match against St. Olaf.
 
But the tiebreakers did.
 
The Cardinals came out on the short end of all three tiebreakers Sunday afternoon, and the end result was a 7-2 loss to the Oles at the Winona Tennis Center.
 
"It was a tale of the tiebreakers today," said Saint Mary's coach Jeff Halberg. "We lost all three tiebreakers we were in. Turn those losses into wins, and we come away with a 5-4 victory, rather than a 7-2 loss. It just wasn't not our day — the guys put up a heck of a battle."
 
Gabe Graves (Littleton, Colo.) and Reilly Fredell (Colorado Springs, Colo.)_ posted an 8-6 win at No. 3 doubles, but the Cardinals still trailed 2-1 heading into the singles portion of the conference matchup.
 
Trevor Smiley (Minnetonka, Minn.) recorded the Cardinals' lone win, posting a 6-2, 6-1 triumph at No. 4, but three-set losses by Graves and E.J Hietala (Duluth, Minn.) at Nos. 5 and 6 singles, coupled with the 8-7 (4) tiebreak loss by Evan Huemoeller (Owatonna, Minn.)/Josh Janssen (Green Bay, Wis.) at No. 2 doubles proved to be the different.
 
The Cardinals (0-2 MIAC, 2-2 overall) are back in action on Friday and Sunday, hosting Hamline in a 5:30 p.m. MIAC matchup at the Winona Tennis Center on Friday, before heading to Life Time Athletics in Eden Prairie, Minn., on Sunday for a noon showdown against St. Thomas.