SMU completes weekend trifecta with 3 straight 9-0 wins

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - It turned out to be a busy - but very productive - weekend for the Saint Mary's University men's tennis team.

The Cardinals, who opened their season last Tuesday with a disappointing 8-1 loss to St. Thomas, completed a weekend trifecta on Saturday, as SMU swept past Milwaukee School of Engineering and Carroll College by identical 9-0 scores.

Those two wins, coupled with Friday's 9-0 rout of Marian, add up to a near-perfect performance.

In fact, were it not for a three-set victory by Kevin Wriskey (White Bear Lake, Minn.) at No. 5 singles vs. Marian on Friday, the Cardinals would have been perfect, as SMU swept every other singles match in straight sets.

"The guys played really, really well," said SMU coach Jeff Halberg after Friday's win vs. Marian. "It's always nice to get that first win under your belt, and to do it in such a dominant fashion was great to see."

SMU cruised through the singles matches vs. Marian, winning five of the six in straight sets - not giving up more than four games in any of the 10 sets. Only Wriskey needed a third set, as the junior rallied from one set down to post a 4-6, 6-2, 10-8 win at No. five singles.

The Cardinals were equally as dominant in doubles, where they swept the three matches 8-2, 8-1 and 8-1.

Tyler Stevenson (Neenah, Wis.), Mark Leeder (Greenfield, Wis.), Tom Vollman (Oak Park, Ill.), Adam Solseth (Shakopee, Minn.), Steve Clements (La Crosse, Wis.) and Dan Fahey (Brookfield, Ill.) were all double winners on Saturday.

Against MSOE, SMU dropped a total of 20 games in its 12 singles sets, with only Vollman losing more than three games in his 7-5, 6-1 win at No. 3 singles. And it was more of the same against Carroll, with Stevenson's 7-6, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles the only match that Carroll won more than four games in any set.

"The men put in a great effort vs. Carroll to cap off a great weekend of tennis," said Halberg, whose team moved to 3-1 overall. "Having played such dominant tennis vs. Marian and MSOE, I was worried we might come out flat against Carroll. But the guys did the complete opposite - making that match their best yet.

"I'm very pleased with their form and team spirit. It was a great trip for everyone."

Things didn't go quite so well for the SMU women last week.

The Cardinals gave the Tommies all they could handle last Thursday evening, but it wasn't quite enough as SMU - despite forcing four of the six singles matches to at least a tie-breaker - dropped an 8-1 decision to the Tommies.

"It was a great match," said Halberg. "I thought we played very well and had some great battles - we just couldn't get over the hump."

Becky Newby (Brookfield, Wis.) picked up the lone win for SMU, posting a 6-4, 6-7, 10-6 win at No. 5 singles. Lisa Thompson (Lake City, Minn.) and Angie Beissel (Hastings, Minn.) forced their matches at No. 2 and No. 6 singles, respectively, into a third set, but both came out on the short end, while Ashley Meschke (Pequot Lakes, Minn.) dropped a hard-fought 6-3, 7-6 decision at No. 1.

"It's tough to lose like that, but we were in every match, which means a break here or there … it was a lot close match than the final score indicated," said Halberg, whose team dropped to 1-1 overall with the conference-opening loss. "It's still early in the season, but I like the effort that I am seeing."