FARGO, N.D. — It wasn't a fourth consecutive 8-1 victory — but it was a victory nonetheless.
 
A hard-fought victory.
 
The Saint Mary's University women's tennis team rallied from a 4-3 deficit with wins at No. 5 and No. 6 singles in extending its winning streak to four straight with a 5-4 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory over Concordia Sunday at Courts Plus.
 
"This was a big, big win for the ladies," said Saint Mary's coach Jeff Halberg. "We were down 2-1 after doubles and 4-3, but got huge wins from Ella (Boomgaarden) and Peyton (Buerman) to battle back for the win.
 
"It was a tremendous effort from everyone."
 
All three of the doubles matches ended in 8-5 decisions, but the Cardinals only managed one of those wins — that coming from Boomgaarden and Buerman at No. 3.
 
Emily Henderson (Jordan, Minn.) and Emily Dondelinger (Bemidji, Minn.) collected singles wins, Henderson winning 6-3, 6-1 and Dondelinger adding a 6-1, 1-6, 10-6 victory, to get SMU within 4-3 — and set up SMU's late match heroics from Boomgaarden and Buerman.
 
Buerman collected a straight-set, 6-4, 6-4 win at No. 6 and Boomgaarden rallied from a set down to seal the win with a 5-7, 6-1, 10-8 win at No. 5.
 
The Cardinals (1-3 MIAC, 7-5 overall) are back in action next weekend with a pair of MIAC contests. SMU will host Bethel in a 1:30 p.m. matchup on Saturday at the Winona Tennis Center, before heading to Baseline Tennis Center in Minneapolis, Minn., for an 11:30 a.m. conference showdown with Macalester.