BLUE EARTH — The Blue Earth Area Bucs’ undefeated girls tennis season continues.

For the eighth time in as many dual meets this fall, Blue Earth Area’s netters left the courts with a win. This time, the Bucs beat the St. Peter Saints by a 5-2 decision during Big South Conference East Division action at Hal Schroeder Courts in Blue Earth on Thursday.

Arika Howard collected the Bucs’ first team point when she eased past the Saints’ Macy Weller, 6-1, 6-0, at third singles. Howard made her way through Weller in less than an hour of play.

Te’a Armstrong followed two minutes later, walking off with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Amelia Hildebrandt at the No. 1 singles spot in the lineup.

Addison Armstrong continued the Bucs’ winning ways, reversing her sister’s winning margin by taking a 6-2, 6-1 win over Molly Voeltz at fourth singles.

“I thought the girls really came to play today and stepped up,” Blue Earth Area head coach Konny Wolff said. “We were a little nervous coming out because they (St. Peter) had beaten Fairmont 4-3 and we played pretty close with Fairmont.”

The Saints’ solid doubles teams, the strength of the team leading to its win over Fairmont, kept St. Peter close in team competition.

Josie Wiebusch and Jayna Matejcek worked to claim the Saints’ first team point with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Britt Howard and Lyndsey Borris at second doubles.

Blue Earth Area’s singles strength, however, was too much to overcome. Marissa Benz clinched the singles sweep and the dual meet for the Bucs with a hard-fought 6-3, 6-2 win over Annika Southworth at second singles. The pair sent extended rallies back and forth, moving each other across the court and back, playing nearly as long in two sets as the lone three-set match.

In that three-set match, Lizzy Orth and Emily Salfer claimed the Saints’ second team point with a volley-filled 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over McKenna Dutton and Kylie Rosenau at first doubles.

Although the Bucs had already clinched the win, Blue Earth Area was able to widen its margin of victory with the third doubles match.

Cali Beyer and Olivia Dutton struggled slightly to start, dropping four of their first five games against Rhyan Holmgren and Maddie Kamm. Then Beyer’s strong net play and Dutton’s serving led them to rally for 11 consecutive game wins to come back and take a 6-4, 6-0 win.

“I knew our singles were pretty solid,” Wolff said. “I thought if we could get all four singles and maybe one doubles that would be great, and that’s what we did. I’m proud of the girls, the way they stepped up. “

Blue Earth Area (8-0) faces a rematch with the Saints in St. Peter at 4:30 p.m. Monday.

Varsity Results

BEA 5, St. Peter 2

Singles Bracket

• Te’a Armstrong (BEA) def. Amelia Hildebrandt, 6-1, 6-2.

• Marissa Benz (BEA) def. Annika Southworth, 6-3, 6-2.

• Arika Howard (BEA) def. Macy Weller, 6-1, 6-0.

• Addison Armstrong (BEA) def. Molly Voeltz, 6-2, 6-1.

Doubles Bracket

• Lizzy Orth-Emily Salfer (STP) def. McKenna Dutton-Kylie Rosenau, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

• Josie Wiebusch-Jayna Matejcek (STP) def. Britt Howard-Lyndsey Borris, 6-4, 7-5.

• Cali Beyer-Olivia Dutton (BEA) def. Rhyan Holmgren-Maddie Kamm, 6-4, 6-0.

•

The Fairmont Cardinals netted an 8-3 victory over the St. James Area Saints during junior varsity tennis action Thursday in St. James.

Lilly Laven produced a 4-1, 4-3 win, Rachel O’Connor salvaged at 4-0, 3-4, (10-7) victory and Kaycie Brookens collected a 4-2, 4-3 triumph during singles action for Fairmont.

In doubles action, Solveig Senf and Brynn Gustafson battled to a 2-4, 4-0, (12-10) win for the Cardinals, while Meredith Nemmers and Johanna Petschke combined for a 4-1, 4-0 decision.

Elly Stegge and Jenna Spencer continued their winning ways by generating a 4-3, 4-1 outcome, Adeline Lenway and Jayden Moses combined to net back-to-back 4-1 set wins, while Aili Lockwood and Ellie Plumhoff duplicated Lenway and Moses’ score of 4-1, 4-1.