OWATONNA, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict tennis team (0-1, 0-1 MIAC) dropped a 7-2 decision to St. Olaf (8-0, 5-0 MIAC) in their season opener on Sunday, March 9, at the West Hills Tennis and Fitness Center.

This marked CSB's first match of the 2025 spring season and their opening MIAC conference contest, leaving the Bennies with an 0-1 record both overall and in the conference.

St. Ben's earned two victories, both in singles. First-year Lila Collins claimed a hard-fought win at No. 5 singles, defeating Sarah Clark in a marathon match, 6-3, 5-7, 1-0 (12-10), after a thrilling tiebreaker. Sophomore Kate Perbix also won in singles, earning a straight-set victory at No. 6 over Charlotte Sloane, 6-4, 6-2.

St. Olaf controlled the rest of the singles contests, winning four out of six matches. At No. 1, senior Sophia Jonas fell to Olha Zubarieva, 6-1, 6-2. At No. 2, sophomore Ella Marohl was defeated by Jane Spalding, 6-2, 6-1. First-year Allyson Yahn lost, 6-0, 6-2, to Fiona O'Flaherty at No. 3, and sophomore Ryanna Steinhaus of CSB was defeated, 6-1, 6-2, by Alexandra Berns at No. 4.

In doubles action, St. Olaf swept all three matches. Zubarieva and Spalding of St. Olaf defeated Jonas and Marohl, 8-1, at No. 1. Perbix and Yahn lost, 8-2, to O'Flaherty and Berns at No. 2, while Clark and Emma Clift secured an 8-3 win over CSB first-year Ava Stritesky and sophomore Marie Labenski in No. 3 doubles.

The Bennies will next travel to Orlando, Fla., for their annual spring break trip, where they will play five matches from March 16-21. CSB's first match of the trip is against Western Connecticut State on March 16.