BASELINE BLAST — Fairmont second singles player Dominick Lund-May cranks a return from the baseline during nonconference tennis action against Albert Lea on Monday at the Cardinal Courts in Fairmont. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — Fairmont’s Carter Quist and Olivia Ortega overcame a series of broken service games to gut out a 6-3, 6-3 win over Albert Lea’s Gunnar Hardison and Cyrus Schmidt at No. 1 doubles on Monday at Cardinal Courts in Fairmont.

Quist and Ortega’s win helped Fairmont’s tennis team sweep the Albert Lea Tigers 7-0 in its non-league contest.

“Albert Lea has less experience than us, so our kids took advantage of their opportunities,” Fairmont head coach Eric Johnson said. “Sebastian Castro, (Dominick) Lund-May and Jack (Hagen) never let up. They kept up their intensity and played well in their matches.

“All of our kids played good matches today.”

In Quist’s and Ortega’s opening set, each team took turns breaking serve in the first five games, leaving the home team ahead 3-2.

Quist held serve to make it 4-2 and the duo broke serve in Game 7 to give them a 5-2 lead and on the brink of winning the first set.

Albert Lea’s duo broke serve to make it 5-3, but Quist held serve to give the Cardinals the first set win.

Quist and Ortega jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second set, but Hardison and Schmidt battled back to take a 3-2 lead.

After a talk from coach Johnson, Quist and Ortega dominated, winning four straight games to win another set 6-3.

During the four-game surge, Olivia Ortega was masterful at the net, while Quist’s hard serves led to several easy points.

Anthony Stegge and Tyler Slama beat Ben Gordonsoto and Parker Minsun 6-1, 6-0 at No. 2 doubles, while Simone Castro and Wylee Frederiksen beat Axel Erickson and Conor Hanson 6-1, 6-0 at No. 3 doubles.

Hagen and Lund-May made quick work of Will Isaacson and Jacob Wana at No. 1 and No. 2 singles as each won 6-0, 6-0, respectively.

Noah Vetter beat Kvol Pual 6-3, 6-2 at No. 3 singles, and Sebastian Castro beat Clayton Bibus 6-0, 6-1 at No. 4 singles.

“The kids never let up today,” Johnson said. “We had a couple of slow starts, but the kids’ focus returned in those matches. I was happy to see that.”

Next for the Cardinals (3-1) is an away contest at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at St. James Area. The Tigers (0-3) host Mankato West and Winona at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Fairmont 7, Albert Lea 0

Singles Bracket

• Jack Hagen (FMT) def. Will Isaacson, 6-0, 6-0.

• Dominick Lund-May (FMT) def. Jacob Wana, 6-0, 6-0.

• Noah Vetter (FMT) def. Kvol Pual, 6-3, 6-2.

• Sebastian Castro (FMT) def. Clayton Bibus, 6-0, 6-1.

Doubles Bracket

• Carter Quist-Olivia Ortega (FMT) def. Gunnar Hardison-Cyrus Schmidt, 6-3, 6-3.

• Anthony Stegge-Tyler Slama (FMT) def. Ben Gordonsoto-Parker Minsun, 6-1, 6-0.

• Simone Castro-Wylee Frederiksen (FMT) def. Axel Erickson-Conor Hanson, 6-1, 6-0.