Tigers continue fast start

Published 12:12 am Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Having a lineup full of seniors is never a bad thing for a team and the experience factor has helped the Albert Lea girls’ tennis team in the early part of the season.

The Tigers (3-0) rolled to a pair of 7-0 victories Monday in Albert Lea as they took on New Ulm and Marshall.

Albert Lea picked up a 7-0 sweep of New Ulm to make up for a 5-2 loss last season to the Eagles. Only one set in the match went to a tiebreaker and that came at No. 3 singles. Michelle Hartmann, one of just two underclassmen in the lineup, got a 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) win.

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Tigers head coach Sean Gillam said he thought experience was a factor for his team as his players were able to make adjustments in the match and find the weak spots of their opponents.

The pair of matches allowed Gillam to move some players around and try them at different spots. Jenna Sager played two matches at No. 4 singles, instead of playing doubles with partner Amy Bohlen and won both times. Sager defeated New Ulm’s Emily Steinman 6-3, 6-3 and Marshall’s Maggie Roy 6-2, 6-0.

Sarah Wenum split her time between singles and doubles, picking up a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 2 singles over New Ulm’s Meghan King. Wenum partnered with Bohlen against Marshall’s Julie Grover and Liz Hansen and won 7-5, 6-4.

Chelsea Petersen and Zoey Hill entered the Albert Lea lineup on doubles teams and each won a match. Petersen teamed with Bohlen at No. 3 doubles and won 6-2, 6-1 over Wibeke Nehaus and Kelsey Preisinger of New Ulm. Hill played with Kayla Hartmann at No. 3 doubles against Marshall’s Maddie Scherphoerster and Jess Tubbs and got a 6-0, 6-1 win.

Gillam was pleased with the play at No. 3 doubles, a spot the team needs to get wins from to be successful this season.

On the junior varsity side Alissa Allison and Lucy Villagomez each picked up wins on the day.

The Tigers open the conference schedule Tuesday when they travel to Rochester to face Century. Albert Lea returns home to face Worthington and Austin Pacelli Wednesday in a makeup match and finishes the week with Winona at home Thursday.

Albert Lea 7, New Ulm 0

Singles

No. 1 Taylor Nelson def. Trisha Johnson, 6-4, 6-1

No. 2 Sarah Wenum def. Meghan King, 6-3, 6-3

No. 3 Michelle Hartmann def. Hannah Stark, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4)

No. 4 Jenna Sager def. Emily Steinman, 6-3, 6-3

Doubles

No. 1 Mikaela Pierson/Erika Blickenderfer vs. Leah Nelson/Morgan Zollner 6-2, 6-1

No. 2 Kellsie Dieser/Kayla Hartmann vs. Anna Laitnen/Whitney Miellke 6-2, 6-0

No. 3 Amy Bohlen/Chelsea Petersen vs. Wiebke Nehaus/Kelsey Preisinger 6-2, 6-1

Albert Lea 7, Marshall 0

Singles

No. 1 Taylor Nelson def. Bethany Ahlers, 6-3, 6-2

No. 2 Kellsie Dieser def. Brooke Louwagie 6-2, 6-1

No. 3 Michelle Hartmann def. Tavia Buysse 7-5, 6-0

No. 4 Jenna Sager def. Maggie Roy 6-2, 6-0

Doubles

No. 1 Mikaela Pierson/Erika Blickenderfer def. Samantha Tutt/Heidi Henkelman 6-2, 6-2

No. 2 Sarah Wenum/Amy Bohlen def. Julie Grover/Liz Hansen 7-5, 6-4

No. 3 Zoey Hill/Kayla Hartmann def. Maddie Schoerphoerster/Jess Tubbs, 6-0, 6-1