WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary's University women's tennis coach Jeff Halberg will be the first to tell you — Saturday's final score against St. Scholastica didn't even come close to telling the whole story.
 
The Cardinals dropped three nail-biters in singles — including two that went to a third set — as the Saints escaped the Winona Tennis Center with a 7-2 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory over the Cardinals.
 
"This match was much, much closer than the final score would indicate," said Halberg. "The ladies played hard from start to finish, and could easily have won 5-4 had we been able to pull out those close matches."
 
The Cardinals found themselves holding a 2-1 lead after doubles, getting a marathon 8-7 (5) win from Emily Henderson (Jordan, Minn.) and Emily Dondelinger (Bemidji, Minn.) at No. 2, and an 8-5 victory from Ella Boomgaarden (St. Peter, Minn.)/Peyton Buerman (Shawano, Wis.) at No. 3.
 
From there, however, it was all St. Scholastica.
 
Henderson fell in three sets, 1-6, 6-4, 4-10, at No. 2, and Buerman suffered a 5-7, 6-3, 4-10 setback at No. 5, while Peterson lost a 6-4, 7-5 nail-biter at No. 1.
 
The Cardinals (2-5 MIAC, 8-7 overall) are right back in action on Sunday, playing their third match in as many days with a 1:30 p.m. nonconference matchup against UW-Superior.
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