MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (csssaints.com) – In its first conference match of 2023, the St. Scholastica women's tennis team came up short via a 3-6 final score against Macalester College on Friday evening in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) action at the Baseline Tennis Center.

Doubles
The Saints (1-2, 0-1 MIAC) dropped matches at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots but the No. 1 pairing of Julia Maier (Hamburg, Germany/Heidberg Gymnasium) and Mishell Benitez (Ambato, Ecuador/Colegio Tecnico Particular a Distancia José Martí) was able to get the job done 8-7 (10-8) to take the match in tiebreaker fashion.

Katia Bartels (St. Paul, Minn.) and Martina Garcia (Cuenca, Ecuador/Catalinas HS (Eastern Florida State College)) also went to a tiebreak to decide their match but were narrowly defeated by the Scots, 7-8 (8-10).  

Singles
St. Scholastica picked up the win at No. 1 singles after Julia Maier (Hamburg, Germany/Heidberg Gymnasium) finished her night unbeaten, cruising to a 6-3, 6-2 victory.

Later on, the dual match would wrap up on the No. 2 court with Garcia fighting her way to a 6-4, 5-7, 1-0 (10-6) win.

Anna Ritchie (Becker, Minn./Becker HS) and Taylor Vyskocil (Ashland, Wis.) both did well to extend the second sets in their contests but ultimately fell to the Scots in straight sets. 

Up Next
The Saints will be back on the road again next weekend to face off against a couple of MIAC opponents, beginning on February 18th when they are slated to duel the College of Saint Benedict at 4 p.m. at the STA fitness center in Saint Cloud, Minn.