Match SummarySARTELL, Minn. — With their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Playoff hopes hanging by a thread, the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's tennis team entered Sunday's showdown against Saint John's in a must-win predicament.
As if that task wasn't daunting enough, add to it the fact that the Cardinals had never beaten the Johnnies, and Saint Mary's certainly had its hands full.
But then, the bigger the pressure, the better the Cardinals.
Warren Lawrenz (Rochester, Minn.) posted a convincing 6-0, 6-4 win at No. 6 singles, giving the Cardinals something no other Saint Mary's men's tennis team has ever achieved—a victory over the Johnnies.
"What an incredible victory," said Saint Mary's coach
Jeff Halberg of the Cardinals' 5-4 win at Fitness Revolution. "Our effort was monumental in a must-win situation. The guys played an outstanding match, and Warren really came through with a big win at No. 6 (singles) to seal the win."
The Cardinals jumped out to a 2-1 lead after the doubles action, with
Tim Wolford (Maple Grove, Minn.)-
Collin Kaczorowski (Suamico, Wis.) earning an 8-6 victory at No. 1, while
Brenden Amiotte (Rapid City, S.D.)-
Blake Olmscheid (Farmington, Minn.) added a 9-7 triumph at No. 3.
Wolford and
Brett Giesen (Cato, Wis.) added straight-set singles wins at Nos. 1 and 3, but the Johnnies knotted the match at 4-4 with wins at Nos. 2, 4 and 5—setting up Lawrenz's heroics.
With the win, the Cardinals moved to 4-4 in conference play and maintained its hold on the fifth and final MIAC Playoff spot. The Cardinals (14-6 overall) close out their regular-season schedule on Friday, hosting St. Olaf in a 5 p.m. conference match at the Winona Tennis Center.
