OMAHA, Neb. -- Wins at No. 1 and No. 3 singles were not quite enough for the College of Saint Mary tennis team in a 5-2 loss to Northwestern College on Wednesday.

Northwestern earned their first GPAC win to improve to 1-3 in league play and 8-7 overall. CSM slips to 6-8 overall and 0-4 in GPAC action.

Renee Acena defeated Julia Kutz in straight sets (6-1, 6-0) at No. 1 singles. Carolyna Truong dropped the first set at No. 3 singles before responding to win the next two sets and the point (3-6, 6-4, 6-4).

"The Flames were close again tonight, but not quite enough to get over the hump," said coach Mike Johnson.

Miranda Swanson, at No. 4 singles, took the first set 6-2 but suffered 6-4 and 6-2 defeats to drop the point.

Iyannah Pardiwalla fell 6-3, 6-2 at No. 2 singles; Darece Van Auken fell 6-3, 6-1 at No. 5 singles; and Blake McDowall dropped a 6-2, 6-3 match at No. 6 singles.

CSM was close to securing the doubles point after Acena and Pardiwalla took the victory at No. 1 doubles (6-3), but a pair of close losses at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles gave the point to the Red Raiders.

Truong and Swanson were edged 6-4 at No. 2 doubles while McDowall and Van Auken suffered a 6-4 loss at No. 3 doubles.

Coach Johnson, looking ahead, expressed a sense of urgency saying, "we play Doane tomorrow in a must-win scenario," as just six of the eight tennis-sponsoring team in the GPAC qualify for the conference tournament.

That match against Doane tomorrow is scheduled from 3 p.m. with College of Saint Mary Hosting from the CSM Courts.