MANKATO – Coach David Kalis doesn’t know the last time the Albert Lea High School girls’ tennis team defeated a Big Nine opponent.

Friday, August 31, 2001

MANKATO – Coach David Kalis doesn’t know the last time the Albert Lea High School girls’ tennis team defeated a Big Nine opponent. He has no idea when the Tigers last won by a score of 6-1.

Kalis doesn’t know and doesn’t care. It’s history.

The Tigers ended a long losing skid against conference foes, winning 6-1 at Mankato West Thursday.

&uot;We’re just playing great tennis,&uot; said Kalis, whose team almost upset Owatonna two days earlier. &uot;Coming off the Owatonna meet, then we beat West. The girls had no doubt we could win today. It was fun. The girls were excited. I’m very proud of them.&uot;

The win wasn’t the only first in a long time. The Tigers also swept the singles, an area where they had trouble in their first three meets this year.

Elizabeth Schreiber was the most domination, taking only 30 minutes to dispatch her No. 2 singles opponent 6-0, 6-0.

The other singles wins were also in straight sets.

Danielle Jacobs won 6-4, 6-4 at No. 1 singles, Karen Leonard prevailed 6-1, 5-4 at No. 3, and Becky Birkhofer won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 4.

Nikki Rafdal and Ashley Helgerson won in straight sets at No. 2 doubles, taking their match by scores of 6-3, 6-4.

Amanda Rose and Nicole Merfeld outlasted their opponents at No. 3 doubles, winning 4-6, 6-2, 7-6. They took the third-set tiebreaker 7-5.

Mandi Blenka and Jasey Porter lost in three sets at No. 1 doubles, falling 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

The Tigers, 1-3 overall and 1-1 in the Big Nine, are in action again next Thursday with a 4:30 p.m. meet against Rochester John Marshall.F