WINONA, Minn. — The end result can't get much closer, and Saint Mary's University women's tennis coach Jeff Halberg was hard-pressed to feel disappointed about the outcome.
 
St. Olaf picked up wins in two of the three doubles matches and added straight-set wins in three of the six singles contests in dealing the Cardinals a heartbreaking 5-4 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback Saturday at the Winona Tennis Center.
 
"We played well, and it was honestly anyone's match," Halberg said. "But someone had to win it, and St. Olaf pulled it out in the end. It's a tough one to lose, but I'm very, very proud of the way we performed."
 
Emily Henderson (Jordan, Minn.) and Maddie Dosser (South St. Paul, Minn.) picked up Saint Mary's doubles win, posting an 8-4 victory at No. 3.
 
Henderson added a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 6 singles, and Zoie Becker (St. James, Minn.) and Natalie Peterson (St. Cloud, Minn.) also posted straight-set singles wins, but it was not enough to get past the Oles.
 
Saint Mary's (1-3 MIAC, 4-3 overall) are right back in action on Sunday, heading to Life Time Athletic in Eden Prairie, Minn.) for a 3:30 p.m. conference showdown against St. Thomas.