SARTELL, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict tennis team had the upper hand after doubles play, but St. Cloud State came back strong in singles play and the Bennies fell 5-2 to the Division II Huskies Sunday afternoon at Sta-Fit in Sartell.
 
"St. Cloud State got off to a really good start in singles, and by the time we caught up it was too late," CSB head coach Michael Engdahl said. "We did a great job playing our tennis, and if we continue to play with today's mentality, we will put ourselves in playoff contention for sure."
 
The match was played by Division II rules, so the Bennies (7-4) took a 1-0 lead following doubles play after finishing 2-1 in doubles matches. Lily Fredericks and Peyton Kopel started the team off with a 6-1 win at No. 1 doubles. Grace Lee and Sophia Jonas fell 6-1 at No. 2 doubles, but Greta Nesbit and Maria Bedford came from behind for a 7-5 win at No. 3 doubles to give the Bennies the point heading into singles play.
 
From there, however, it was all the Huskies as Kopel picked up CSB's lone singles win. After dropping her first set 6-4, she came back to win the next two 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2 singles.
 
Fredericks fell 6-0, 6-4 at No. 1 singles and Nesbit lost 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3 singles. Jonas lost 6-0, 6-2 at No. 4 singles, Lee fell 6-4, 6-4 at No. 5 and Bedford finished the day for CSB with a 6-2, 6-2 loss at No. 6 singles.
 
The Bennies are scheduled to play twice next weekend as they travel to St. Paul Saturday, April 2, for an 11 a.m. match at Macalester, then Carleton comes to town Sunday, April 3 for another MIAC contest.