WINONA, Minn. — Powered by a clutch performance from Aheli Patel, the Saint Mary's women's tennis team secured a thrilling 4-3 MIAC victory over the College of Saint Benedict (4-6, 2-3 MIAC) Sunday afternoon at the Winona Tennis Center to stop a five match skid.

The Cardinals (6-6-1, 1-6 MIAC) leaned on timely wins and late-match heroics, with Patel delivering the decisive point in dramatic fashion.

After splitting doubles play, Saint Mary's found itself in a tight battle heading into singles. The Cardinals picked up key wins early, including a dominant 6-0, 6-0 sweep from Elena Ruzevich at No. 1 and a strong 7-5, 6-2 victory from Emily Dondelinger at No. 2.

The match ultimately came down to No. 3 singles, where Patel rose to the moment. After dropping the opening set, she mounted an impressive comeback, taking the second set 6-4 before outlasting her opponent in an intense super tiebreak, 11-9, to clinch the team victory for Saint Mary's.

Earlier in doubles action, the Cardinals earned a point behind a commanding 6-0 win from the No. 3 pairing of Harsha Gangasani and Maddie Jensen. Despite falling at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, Saint Mary's kept itself within striking distance heading into singles play.

The Cardinals also saw a hard-fought effort from Kathryn Stiegel at No. 6, who forced a third-set super tiebreak before a big win.

The Cardinals will carry the momentum into their next matchup at Macalester on Thursday, April 16 at 5:00 p.m.