WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's tennis team kicked off its 2023 season in winning fashion Saturday — but it was anything but easy.
 
The Cardinals raced out to a 3-0 lead after three hotly-contests doubles matches and continued to pick up steam in blanking Martin Luther 9-0 in a nonconference match at the Winona Tennis Center.
 
"This was a great start for us," said Saint Mary's men's tennis coach Jeff Halberg. "I thought we played a tremendous match against a much-improved Martin Luther squad."
 
Evan Huemoeller (Owatonna, Minn.) and E.J. Hietala (Duluth, Minn.) teamed for an 8-3 win at No. 1 doubles, with Tucker Stene (Fridley, Minn.) and Brenda Raabolle (Andover, Minn.) adding an 8-0 victory at No. 2. Things weren't as easy for Matt Besek (Winona, Minn.) and Caden Rodning (Mason City, Iowa) at No. 3, as the duo slipped away with an 8-6 triumph.
 
Hietala dominated his No. 2 singles match, posting back-to-back 6-0 wins, while Stene and Raabolle added 6-2, victories. Besek and Rodning also posted straight-set victories at No. 5 and No. 6, while Huemoeller — playing his first match at No. 1 — held on for a 7-5, 7-6 (4) triumph.
 
The Cardinals (1-0 overall) are right back in action — and right back on their home courts at the Winona Tennis Center — on Sunday, playing host to Carleton in the team's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener.
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