Erin Prescher keeps her eye on the ball while playing Maple River.

Before the beginning of the 2024 girls tennis season, Blue Earth Area coach, Spencer Monson, said he thought Maple River would be one of the tougher teams in the Section.

On Tuesday, Sept. 24, Monson’s squad gave Maple River all they could handle but came up one match short of earning the victory. Maple River left Blue Earth with a 4-3 victory.

The Eagles claimed three of the four singles matches and one of the doubles contests to gain the necessary four wins to defeat the Bucs.

At No. 1 singles, Macy Sohre of the Eagles defeated Grace Hanson 6-4, 6-1.

BEA’s Addison Prescher lost the first set to Maple River’s Ally Mersman before rallying to win the final two sets to get the win at No. 2 singles. The scores were 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.

The Eagles’ Tabitha Barkoski triumphed over Abbey Lorenz at No. 3 singles in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1.

It was also a straight set victory for Claire Langworthy of Maple River in her No. 4 doubles match against Abigail Greff. Langworthy’s winning scores were 6-4, 6-4.

The No. 1 doubles match saw Madison Ward and Kelsey Jaeger of the Eagles defeat Erin Prescher and Carol Schrader 6-1, 7-6 (2).

Grace Schavey and Brooklyn Roseneau of the Bucs were victorious in their No. 2 doubles match against Reagan Reuter and Norah Davis 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

BEA’s No. 3 doubles team of McKinley Hanson and Katelyn Storbeck also won in three sets when they bested Kennedi Oliver and Merrit Ward 6-1, 2-6, 6-2.

After hosting Worthington on Sept. 26, the No. 3-seeded Bucs begin team Section play on Monday, Sept. 30, with a quarterfinal match against River Valley at 3 p.m. at Schroeder Courts in Blue Earth.

BEA 4, USC 3

Blue Earth Area defeated United South Central 4-3 for the second time this year when the two Faribault County schools battled it out at Schroeder Courts in Blue Earth on Sept. 24.

The two teams evenly split the singles matches but the Bucs won two of the three doubles matches to secure the victory.

BEA’s No. 2 doubles team of Grace Schavey and Brooklyn Rosenau defeated Julianna Clore and Caitlin Rheingans of USC 6-3, 6-2.

At No. 3 doubles, the Bucs’ McKinley Hanson and Katelyn Storbeck triumphed over the Rebels’ Kylee Koziolek and Elise Hansen 6-1, 6-4.

USC picked up a win in the No. 1 doubles match when Addison Mithun and Maya Hansen defeated BEA’s Carol Schrader and Erin Prescher 6-2, 6-3.

Grace Hanson of the Bucs won the No. 1 singles match over the Rebels’ Brylee Neubauer 6-1, 6-4.

USC’s Olivia Bungum and BEA’s Addison Prescher needed three sets to decide the winner in their match at No. 2 singles. Bungum eventually prevailed 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (3).

The No. 3 singles match also took three sets with BEA’s Abbey Lorenz earning the victory over USC’s Lauren Hansen 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.

In the No. 4 singles match, the Rebels’ Ivy O’Rourke won over BEA’s Abigail Greff in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.

BEA 4, Waseca 3

Blue Earth Area defeated Big South Conference foe Waseca on Friday, Sept. 20, at Schroeder Courts. The final score was 4-3.

The Bucs picked up wins at No. 1 and No. 2 singles to go with wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles.

At No. 1 singles, BEA’s Grace Hanson defeated Takya Schoenrock 6-4, 6-2.

The Bucs’ Addison Prescher needed three sets to triumph over Vivian Mader. The scores were 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.

BEA’s third win was at No. 2 doubles where Grace Schavey and Brooklyn Rosenau defeated Ava Miller and Kennedy Lynch 7-6 (6), 6-2.

The Bucs’ No. 3 doubles team of McKinley Hanson and Katelyn Storbeck slugged it out for three sets before getting the win over Layla Keith and Hannah Rugger 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Waseca’s Maddy Benson won at No. 3 singles over Abbey Lorenz 6-2, 6-0.

The Bluejays’ Addie Pfeifer got the win at No. 4 singles over Abigail Greff 6-0, 6-0.

Waseca’s other victory was at No. 1 doubles where Mia Kanewischer and Paige Dufault were victorious over Carol Schrader and Erin Prescher 6-2, 6-4.