LAKEVILLE, Minn. — Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's tennis coach Jeff Halberg knew his Cardinals were up against a formidable opponent to open Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.
 
After all, the Cardinals' conference-opening foe—Carleton—was picked by the league's coaches to take home the regular-season title, after recording a perfect MIAC run last season.
 
And, unfortunately for Halberg and the Cardinals, the Knights did not disappoint Sunday afternoon at Lifetime Fitness, sweeping all six singles matches in straight sets in dealing Saint Mary's an 8-1 setback.
 
"The ladies put up a very encouraging battle today," said Halberg, whose team opened the season with a convincing 9-0 nonconference win over Martin Luther on Friday. "Carleton was voted to win the conference in our coaches poll and we gave them a really tough match.
 
"I am very pleased with our form in the early season."
 
The Cardinals gave the Knights all they could handle in the three doubles match.
 
Laura Sonday (West St. Paul, Minn.) and Colleen Lois (Green Bay, Wis.) collected the Cardinals' lone win, teaming for a hard-fought 8-6 victory at No. 1 doubles. Julia Boeve (St. James, Minn.) and Cassandra Barr (Eau Claire, Wis.) suffered a 8-5 setback at No. 2 doubles, with Ashley Frederickson (St. James, Minn.)/Marissa Kinzer (Aitkin, Minn.)) falling 8-4 at No. 3.
 
But in singles, the Knights just proved to be too deep, dropping four or more games in any of the 12 sets just three times—Sonday fell 6-2, 6-4 and No. 1, while Boeve dropped a 6-4, 6-2 decision at No. 4, and Frederickson fell 6-1, 7-5 at No. 5.
 
The Cardinals (0-1 MIAC, 1-1 overall) hit the road next weekend for three nonconference matches. Saint Mary's will face St. Scholastica in an 11 a.m. match and UM-Duluth in a 5 p.m. showdown—with both matches taking place at the Arrowhead Tennis Center in Duluth, Minn., before heading to Superior, Wis., for a 9 a.m. showdown against UW-Superior.