When Mankato East tennis coach Andy Krueger made the lineup for the Cougars’ match against Rochester Century Thursday, he figured his team would have more success in doubles play.

Instead, Century swept the doubles play en route to a 6-1 Big Nine Conference win at the East courts.

“We were in a lot of the points, but we didn’t get the games that we needed,” Krueger said.

It was at No. 2 singles where East won its only match. Ashley Jensen, a junior, remained unbeaten on the season with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Katie Aney.

“My serves and my ground strokes were really good, and I didn’t miss much,” Jensen said. “(Aney) was good, but she made quite a few mistakes and she got upset really easy.”

Said Krueger: “I was not only surprised that (Jensen) won but how convincing she won. I didn’t expect it to go that way. It was a plesant surprise.

“It was the confidence she’s gained from winning each match so far that helps her win.”

Krueger said the Cougars got the challenge they expected from Century. The Panthers are a state powerhouse ranked third in Class AA and whose only loss this season came at the hands of top-ranked Rochester Mayo.

The Panthers’ No. 1 singles player, Kelsey Frechette, is ranked third individually, and their No. 1 doubles team of Mary Ellen Donovan and Jory Kircher — who is receiving votes in the rankings — took fourth at the state tournament a year ago.

“They have a lot of players that play year-round up and down their program, so that’s kind of hard to compete against,” Krueger said. “So we just have to do the best we can.”

Frechette deafeated East’s Coley Ries in No. 1 singles 6-0, 6-0. Century’s Shweta Chhugari and Kiersti Baker topped the Cougars’ Katia Viaene and Steph Geller in Nos. 3 and 4 singles, respectively.

Donovan and Kircher swept E.J. Scharmer and Cassidy Miller 6-0, 6-0 in No. 1 doubles, while the Panthers doubles teams of Maddy Kircher and Steph Church and Katie Smet and Nicole Phillips defeated Katie King and Allison Cannella and Anna White and Tara Werkmeister, respectively.

The Cougars dropped to 4-2 (3-1 in the Big Nine) and will play at Rochester John Marshall Saturday.