It wasn’t a win, but it was about as close as you can get.

Wednesday, April 11, 2001

It wasn’t a win, but it was about as close as you can get. And it was the closest the Albert Lea High School boys’ tennis team has gotten since 1998.

The Tigers, coming off back-to-back winless seasons, opened the 2001 campaign with a 4-3 nonconference loss to Fairmont at the Southwest Junior High School courts Tuesday.

&uot;It’s the closest meet we’ve had in three years,&uot; said ALHS coach David Kalis. &uot;Overall, I was very pleased with how the kids played. They came ready to play, they never gave up.&uot;

And even though it wasn’t a win, Kalis felt the meet was a confidence booster for his players.

&uot;They know they can compete,&uot; said the coach. &uot;It could have gone either way.&uot;

Two of the three doubles matches went the Tigers’ way.

John Mattson and Kurtis Bohrnstedt won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 2 while Stephen Thorn and Brandon Quam rolled 6-0, 6-2 at No. 3.

&uot;Both No. 2 and 3 doubles hit some excellent shots,&uot; said Kalis. &uot;They played great.&uot;

So did senior Dan Jones, who won 6-3, 6-4 at No. 4 singles.

&uot;It was probably the best tennis I’ve ever seen him play,&uot; said Kalis. &uot;He played great tennis.&uot;

The Tigers’ No. 1 doubles team of Karl Bohrnstedt and Matt Wulff lost 7-5, 6-2.

Eric Trygstad fell 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 singles. Matt Entorf was defeated 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2 and Leo Silva lost 6-3, 6-2 at No. 3.

The Albert Lea junior varsity won 7-4.

It was the first of only four home meets for the Tigers this season but the second scheduled for this week, with Faribault coming to town Thursday for a 4:30 Big Nine Conference meet.