ORLANDO, Fla. — It wasn't quite the end to the spring trip that the Saint Mary's University men's tennis team was hoping for.
 
But it wasn't for a lack of effort.
 
The Cardinals had four of their six singles matches extended to a third set, but SMU was not able to hold on to a 4-1 lead, as Albion rallied by winning the final singles match in a third-set tiebreaker and swept all three doubles matches — including all three doubles contests — in dealing Saint Mary's a 5-4 nonconference setback Wednesday at the USTA National Tennis Complex.
 
"It was a tough, tough loss for the guys," said Saint Mary's men's tennis head coach Jeff Halberg. "We came out like gangbusters and jumped out to a 4-1 lead, but we couldn't get the ball to bounce our way in those final four matches. Give Albion credit, they never stopped battling."
 
Playing singles first, Saint Mary's got a straight-set win from Philip Apel (North Oaks, Minn.) at No. 6, and three-set wins from Tucket Stene (Fridley, Minn.), Caden Rodning (Mason City, Iowa), and Matt Besek (Winona, Minn.) at Nos. 3-4-5 to grab what appeared to be a commanding 4-1 lead.
 
Albion's Brendan Morris survived a pair of match points to outlast SMU's Evan Huemoeller (Owatonna, Minn.) at No. 1 singles, before winning the three doubles matches 8-4, 8-4, 8-5 to seal the come-from-behind win.
 
The Cardinals (5-7 overall) are now off until March 17, when they head to Courts Plus in Fargo, N.D., for a 10 a.m. Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match against Conocrdia.