The calendar said September but it felt closer to November Monday when the Albert Lea girls’ tennis team took on Mankato East in Albert Lea

The cold weather and gusty winds were tough to deal with but the Cougars came up with a 4-3 win over the Tigers behind strong singles play.

Mankato East (10-2) took three of the four matches at singles play and added a win at No. 2 doubles to even Albert Lea’s record at 9-9 this season.

Four matches went to three sets and the Tigers took two of the matches, but weren’t able to score a second singles win for the match.

Taylor Nelson and Marina Marquis played the two longest matches for Albert Lea at No. 1 and No. 4 singles, respectively. Each match lasted well past the junior varsity matches and Nelson came through with a 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) victory at No. 1 singles against the Cougars’ Nicole Ries, but Marquis wasn’t as fortunate in her match against Anna White at No. 4 singles. Marquis rallied from a 6-0 first-set defeat for a 6-4 victory but White got the decisive third set 6-2.

Mikaela Pierson and Sarah Wenum provided the Tigers a three-set victory at No. 1 doubles with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 win over E.J. Scharmer and Allison Cannella. Amy Bohlen and Zoey Hill picked up a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Mankato East’s Alison Urness and Katie Karkoska, but Kellsie Dieser and Erika Blickenderfer weren’t able to take advantage of a 7-5 first-set win over Katie King and Tara Werkmeister and fell 6-3, 6-3 in the final two sets.

“It would have been nice to win it, but they pulled through in the third set in a couple of spots,” said Albert Lea head coach Sean Gillam. “To get two wins at singles is pretty tough against them.”

The Tigers battled the flu bug during the weekend when they traveled to Cannon Falls for the Cannon Falls tournament. Albert Lea took third place, defeating Ellsworth, but falling to LeSueur-Henderson and Cannon Falls.

Emily Troe, Alycia Hall, Courtney Stewart, Dominique Villarreal, Megan Gilbertson, Suzie Marin, Sarah Anderson, Kristen Sandager, Colleen Thompson were all winners for the Tiger junior varsity team Monday.

Albert Lea hosts Austin Tuesday.

Mankato East 4, Albert Lea 3

Singles

No. 1 Taylor Nelson (AL) def. Nicole Ries 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)

No. 2 Ashley Jensen (ME) def. Michelle Hartmann 6-2, 6-1

No. 3 Cassidy Miller (ME) def. Kayla Hartmann 6-1, 6-0

No. 4 Anna White (ME) def. Marina Marquis 6-0, 4-6, 6-2

Doubles

No. 1 Mikaela Pierson/Sarah Wenum (AL) def. E.J. Schmarer/Allison Cannella 6-2, 4-6, 6-1

No. 2 Katie King/Tara Werkmeister (ME) def. Kellsie Dieser/Erika Blickendefer 5-7, 6-3, 6-3

No. 3 Amy Bohlen/Zoey Hill (AL) def. Alison Urness/Katie Karkoska 6-2, 6-1