WINONA, Minn. — As if playing three matches in three days wasn't tough enough, the Saint Mary's University men's tennis team had to face conference-power Carleton in that third match of the weekend.
 
And the Knights took advantage of the Cardinals' weariness, dropping just four games in the three doubles matches and rolling to straight-set victories in all six singles contests in dealing Saint Mary's a 9-0 setback in the teams' Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener Sunday afternoon at the Winona Tennis Center.
 
"Carleton is a tough, tough team," said Saint Mary's head coach Jeff Halberg. "And to play them as the third match in three days, it was just a bridge too far."
 
Carleton jumped out to a 3-0 lead with 8-2, 8-2, and 8-0 wins in the three doubles matches, and followed that up by dropping just 12 games in posting six straight-set singles wins.
 
The Cardinals (0-1 MIAC, 1-2 overall) are back in action next weekend for three nonconference matches in Green Bay, Wis. SMU will face Ripon (1 p.m.) and Lawrence (7 p.m.) on Friday, before squaring off against St. Norbert (3:30 p.m.) the following afternoon, with all three matches played at the Green Bay Tennis Center.