BLUE EARTH &045; The Albert Lea girls’ tennis team split a pair of matches at the Blue Earth Tournament over the weekend.

The Tigers dropped a 5-2 decision to the host school in the first match, but came back for a 4-3 win over Sibley East on the strength of strong doubles play.

Against Sibley East, the Tigers would drop the first three singles matches as an ailing Amanda Leonard and Niki Hendrickson were unable to put forth maximum effort because of illness.

Leonard fell 3-6, 1-6 and Hendrickson was downed 2-6, 0-3 before retiring.

Laura Hibbard played at No. 3 singles after working in doubles much of this season and lost 2-6, 1-6.

However, the turnaround began at No. 4 singles where Cori Madson won the first of four straight matches for the Tigers in three games 6-4, 2-6, 10-6.

Liz Thompson and Cara Thorn easily won their doubles match 6-3, 6-1 as did Marisa Christopherson and Hali Hendrickson by a count of 6-2, 6-1.

With the score tied, the Tigers came through to get the win with Brie Bangert and Kelli Hanson winning 6-2, 6-4.

&uot;Once again we did really well in doubles which is nice to see,&uot; said Albert Lea head coach Sean Gillam.

&uot;But I have to give a lot of credit to Cori for hanging in there in that third set because she was tired, but found a way to keep the ball in and win.&uot;

Albert Lea’s two wins against Blue Earth came in doubles action where the top two teams of

Thompson and Thorn (6-3, 7-6 (8-6)) and Hali Hendrickson and Christopherson (6-1, 7-5) used aggressive play to dominate the action.

The Tigers are back in action tomorrow when they host Austin at 4:30 p.m.