FARGO, N.D. — The Saint Mary's University women's tennis team entered Saturday's nonconference match riding high, having closed out its spring trip with back-to-back dominating 8-1 wins over Albion and King's College.
 
And there was nothing UMN Morris could do to slow the Cardinals' momentum.
 
Fueled by wins in all three doubles matches and straight-set wins in four of the six doubles matches, Saint Mary's cruised past the Cougars to lock its third straight victory — and its third consecutive 8-1 victory — Friday evening at Courts Plus.
 
"This was a great team effort, top-to-bottom," said Saint Mary's coach Jeff Halberg. "The ladies are playing very well right now, and hopefully we can carry that momentum into (Sunday's) match against Concordia."
 
SMU dropped just eight games in getting doubles wins from Natalie Peterson (St. Cloud, Minn.)/Elena Ruzevich (Chicago, Ill.), Emily Henderson (Jordan, Minn.)/Emily Dondelinger (Bemidji, Minn.), and Ella Boomgaarden (St. Peter, Minn.)/Peyton Buerman (Shawano, Wis.)
 
Dondelinger, Ruzevich, Boomgaarden, and Kathryn Stiegel (Sauk Rapids, Minn.) kept things rolling with straight-set singles wins, while Peterson needed three sets to rally for a 2-6, 6-2, 10-7 win at No. 1. Henderson suffered SMU's lone loss, dropping a marathon 7-5, 2-6, 13-11 decision at No. 2.
 
The Cardinals (5-5 overall) return to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Sunday, returning to Courts Plus Tennis Center in Fargo, N.D., for a 10 a.m. showdown against Concordia.