WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's tennis team had its season-opening two-match winning streak come to a screeching halt Saturday afternoon, as the Cardinals dropped a heartbreaking 5-4 decisoin to Northwestern at the Winona Tennis Center.
 
"Oh so close," said Saint Mary's coach Jeff Halberg. "Northwestern is one of the top teams in the UMAC — winning each of the last three regular-season titles — and we knew we were going to be in for a battle.
 
"The ladies gave it everything they had, it just wasn't quite enough."
 
Saint Mary's found itself staring at a 2-1 deficit following the doubles portion of the match, with Peyton Buerman (Shawano, Wis.) and Ella Boomgaarden (St. Peter, Minn.) picked up SMU's lone win with an 8-4 victory at No. 3.
 
Emily Dondelinger (Jordan, Minn.) chipped in a 6-1, 7-5 victory at No. 3 singles, while Natalie Peterson (St. Cloud, Minn.) and Kathryn Stiegel (Sauk Rapids, Minn.) delivered three-set marathon wins to account for SMU's other two singles victories. Peterson dropped the opening set at No. 1 singles, before rebounding for a 2-6, 6-1, 10-7 win, with Stiegel following the same script in posting a 2-6, 6-2, 10-6 win at No. 6.
 
The Cardinals (2-1 overall) are now off until Feb. 16-18, when they take on Crown in Owatonna on Feb. 16, before hosting Gustavus (Feb. 17) and Carleton (Feb. 18) in their first two MIAC matches of the season.
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