WINONA, Minn. — It was a long day of tennis for the Saint Mary's University women's tennis team Sunday afternoon, as three of the six singles matches against Macalester went into a third set — including a 13-11 marathon at No. 5 — and one of the three doubles matches needed a tiebreaker.
 
When all was said and done, however, it was the Scots who came away victorious, as Macalester handed the Cardinals a 6-3 setback at the Winona Tennis Center.
 
"It was just wasn't quite meant to be," said Saint Mary's coach Jeff Halberg. "I thought the ladies put up an incredible effort — Macalester proved to be just a little better.
 
"Give (Macalester) credit, they were on top of their game today."
 
Maggie Frye (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Maddie Dosser (South St. Paul, Minn.) outlasted Macalester's Emma Baker/Laurel Hickey 8-7 (5) at No. 3 doubles, but the Cardinals still faced a 2-1 deficit heading into the singles portion of the conference match.
 
Frye and Zoie Becker (St. James, Minn.) each came away with three-set singles wins — Frye taking a 5-7, 6-2, 10-3 win at No. 3, while Becker outlasted Macalester's Natali Soraija, 4-6, 6-4, 13-11 at No. 5. It would not be enough, however, as the high-powered Scots captured the other four singles matches to seal the 6-3 win.
 
The Cardinals (2-5 MIAC, 6-5 overall) have another busy weekend ahead of them, as they travel to St. Peter, Minn., for a 5:30 p.m. MIAC showdown with Gustavus on Saturdya, before returning home for a 9 a.m. conference match against Concordia the following morning at the Winona Tennis Center.