OWATONNA, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict tennis team fought hard for every point in every set Saturday afternoon, but came up just short in a 5-4 loss to St. Olaf.
 
The Bennies won a tiebreaker doubles match and three extra-set singles matches, but the Oles held on for the win in Owatonna.
 
"We put ourselves in position to win every match, and you can't ask for more than that," head coach Michael Engdahl said. "Everyone fought hard and we played the type of tennis we want to play. The MIAC is extremely deep this year, so we need to expect more of these matches every weekend."
 
Jane Bodensteiner and Sophia Jonas picked up CSB's only doubles win – and it was a long one. The Bennies won 8-7(7-4) in a tiebreaker at No. 2 doubles to stay within a point of the Oles heading into doubles play. But the Oles (3-2, 3-1) won at No. 1 and 3 doubles to take a 2-1 lead. Lily Fredericks and Peyton Kopel fell 8-4 at No. 1 doubles and Maria Bedford and Greta Nesbit los 8-6 at No. 3 doubles.
 
Kopel, Bodensteiner and Grace Lee all picked up extra-set wins in singles play, but St. Olaf pulled out the three wins it needed to come away with the MIAC victory. Kopel won 6-3, 3-6, 10-8 at No. 2 singles and Bodensteiner won 6-4, 4-6, 13-11 at No. 4 singles. Lee picked up the team's final win 6-4, 5-7, 10-8 at No. 6 singles.
 
Fredericks fell 6-3, 6-4 at No. 1 singles, Nesbit lost 6-0, 6-4 at No. 3 singles and Jonas lost 6-3, 6-3 at No. 5 singles.
 
The Bennies are now 6-3 overall and 2-1 in the MIAC. The team is back in action Friday, March 25, when it heads to Duluth for a 1 p.m. match against St. Scholastica.