Match Summary |
GameDay PreviewMINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's tennis team picked up its first Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Saturday evening—but it was anything but easy.
The Cardinals got three set wins from
Brenden Amiotte (Rapid City, S.D.) and
Andrew Johnson (Rochester, Minn.) to seal conference win No. 1, a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Bethel at the University of Minnesota Baseline Tennis Center.
"The guys put in a monumental effort," said Saint Mary's coach
Jeff Halberg. "Andrew and Brenden pulled out huge wins in pressure-packed situations. It was a big win for the Cardinals."
The Cardinals opened a 2-1 lead after the three doubles matches, getting an 8-3 win from
Tim Wolford (Maple Grove, Minn.) and
Collin Kaczorowski (Suamico, Wis.) at No. 1, and an 8-6 victory from Amiotte and
Warren Lawrenz (Rochester, Minn.) at No. 3.
But Bethel won three of the first four singles matches, setting up must-win scenarios for Amiotte and Johnson. Geisen came through with a 5-7, 6-4, 10-6 victory at No. 4, while Johnson added a 6-2, 4-6, 10-8 win at No. 5
The Cardinals (1-1 MIAC, 4-2 overall) step out of conference play next weekend, traveling to the Lake Country Racquet Club in Milwaukee, Wis., for matches against Carroll (1 p.m.) and Wisconsin Lutheran (4 p.m.), before heading to Elite Fitness-River Glen in Milwaukee, Wis., for a 10 a.m. match against Milwaukee School of Engineering on Sunday.
