WINONA, Minn. – The St. Olaf College women's tennis team claimed a 5-4 victory at Saint Mary's University (Minn.) to open its 2020-21 season on Saturday afternoon at Winona Tennis Center.

Sabrina Barboza, Emily Otteson, and Greta Prokosch each picked up victories in both singles and doubles for St. Olaf (1-0, 1-0 MIAC), which was playing its first match in 379 days. The Oles took two of the three doubles matches before earning three points in singles to snap the Cardinals' three-match winning streak in the series.

After the teams split the matches at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, Barboza and Allie Prokosch sent St. Olaf into singles with a lead by winning their No. 1 doubles match in a tiebreaker, 7-3. Otteson and Greta Prokosch had evened the match score at 1-1 with a 8-3 victory at No. 2 doubles after the Cardinals picked up a point at No. 3 doubles.

Needing a split of the six singles matches to pick up the win, the Oles recorded victories at three of the top-four spots to pick up the season-opening win. All six singles matches on the afternoon were decided in straight sets.

Greta Prokosch extended St. Olaf's lead to 3-1 with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 3 singles and Otteson recorded a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 4 singles to give the Oles their fourth point. With the team score at 4-2, Barboza secured the win for St. Olaf with a 6-4, 6-3 triumph at No. 1 singles before Saint Mary's collected wins in the final two matches on court.

St. Olaf takes on Hamline University on Saturday, March 27 at 1:30 p.m. in Owatonna.