WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's tennis team has proven one thing early on in the 2021 season: The Cardinals know how to bounce back.
 
Less than a week after dropping a 7-2 decision against St. Olaf, the Cardinals returned to the courts on Friday — and promptly took their frustrations out on visiting Hamline.
 
Saint Mary's jumped out to a 2-1 lead after the doubles portion of their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match, and took four of the six singles matches en route to a 6-3 victory over the Pipers at the Winona Tennis Center.
 
With wins at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles, the Cardinals took a 2-1 lead over the Pipers entering the doubles competition. Brandon Kurilla (Hastings, Minn.) and Josh Janssen (Green Bay, Wis.) recorded an 8-3 win at No. 1 doubles, with Gabe Graves (Littleton, Colo.) and Reilly Fredell (Colorado Springs, Colo.) adding an 8-5 triumph at No. 3.
 
Josh Janssen (Green Bay, Wis.) delivered a hard-fought, 7-6, 6-3, 10-5 win at No. 3 singles, while Trevor Smiley (Minnetonka, Minn.), Graves, and Fredell rolled to straight-set wins at Nos. 4-5-6 to seal the Cardinals' first conference win of the season.
 
The Cardinals (1-2 MIAC, 3-2 overall) hit the road on Sunday, traveling to Life Time Athletic in Eden Prairie, Minn.) for a 3:30 p.m. conference match against St. Thomas.