WINONA, Minn. – The St. Olaf College women's tennis team improved to 6-0 in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) play for the first time since 2010-11 by claiming a 6-3 win over Saint Mary's University on Sunday afternoon at Winona Tennis Center.

St. Olaf (9-0, 6-0 MIAC) won two of the three doubles matches and four of the six singles matches to top Saint Mary's (11-5, 2-4 MIAC) for the fifth season in a row. The Oles' 9-0 start to the season is the best in program history since at least 1989-90.

In doubles, the Oles were a tiebreaker away from a sweep but settled for a 2-1 lead behind victories at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles. Senior Sarah Clark and junior Emma Clift moved to 3-1 in conference play with an 8-3 victory at the third spot before senior Fiona O'Flaherty and junior Alexandra Berns ran their record to 6-0 in the MIAC with an 8-2 win. The Cardinals won a tiebreaker, 9-7, at No. 1 doubles to reduce their deficit to 2-1 heading into singles.

O'Flaherty, Berns, Clark, and senior Jane Spading accounted for St. Olaf's four singles victories, as the Oles wrapped up the win with three victories in the first four singles matches to conclude. Spading and O'Flaherty both improved to 10-1 overall and 6-0 in MIAC play with their straight-set victories at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, dropping just three games apiece in the process.

With the Oles leading 4-2, Berns provided the clinching point with a 6-0, 6-4 win at No. 4 singles to push her record to 8-1 overall and 6-0 in conference play. Clark followed with a 6-3, 6-3 victory at No. 5 singles for her ninth win of the season before Saint Mary's won the lone super tiebreaker of the day in the final match on court.

St. Olaf will be off until hosting Carleton College on Wednesday, April 9 at 4 p.m. at Carlson Courts.