BLUE EARTH &8212; The Albert Lea girls&8217; tennis team went 1-1 at the Blue Earth Tournament and in the process achieved a rather impressive goal.

Coming off a season in which the Tigers lost 12 seniors to graduation, the victory in Blue Earth gave the 2007 squad a 7-8 record already bettering the mark from a season ago.

&8220;We are a younger team and that is a big accomplishment for these girls,&8221; Albert Lea head coach Sean Gillam said.

The Tigers began the day losing to the host school 3-4 before bouncing back to down Sibley East 6-1.

Against Sibley East, Hali Hendrickson got things started with a three-set win 2-6. 1-6, 10-6 which improved her season mark to 10-5.

Kelli Hanson followed that up with a 7-5, 6-1 win at No. 2 to move to 11-4 on the year.

&8220;What those girls do is just impressive,&8221; Gillam said. &8220;Hali has done it at No. 1 or 2 all year, and Kelli is just so steady and gives you everything she has.&8221;

Taylor Nelson lost 3-6, 4-6 but eighth-grader Michelle Hartmann won at No. 4 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

Dezeray Jacobs and Kellsie Dieser won at No. 1 doubles 6-2, 6-2, Alarie Maras and Sarah Wenum were victorious 4-6,. 7-5, 11-9 and Mikaela Pierson and Erika Blickenderfer won 5-7, 6-3, 12-10.

&8220;This was a match that was a lot closer than the score showed, but it was good to get the three wins in doubles against a strong doubles team,&8221; Gillam said. &8220;We had three matches go to the super tiebreaker and were able to win them which should give the girls some confidence.&8221;

Against Blue Earth, Albert Lea got wins from its top three singles in Jacobs (6-3, 6-0), Hendrickson (6-1, 6-3) and Hanson (6-2, 6-1). Nelson nearly completed the singles sweep for the Tigers before losing at No. 4 4-6, 4-6.

In doubles, Maras and Wenum lost 0-6, 0-6, Pierson and Blickenderfer fell 2-6, 3-6 and Dieser and Zoe Hill lost 3-6, 3-6.