Sidney Dirks waited at the baseline for her opponent’s return of serve, stepped into a solid backhand and sent it down the line with authority to end the point.

In many ways, Dirks’ winner typified the performance of the St. Peter girls tennis team Monday. The Saints rolled through No. 8 seed Blue Earth Area 6-1 at the St. Peter courts to earn a berth in today’s semifinals of the Section 2A Team Tournament.

“I just wanted to play consistent tennis and get my serves in,” the freshman Dirks said of her No. 3 singles match. “I tried to move her around the court a little bit. Otherwise, I was just trying to keep the ball in play while still hitting it hard.”

Dirks’ effort led to an impressive 6-0, 6-0 win over BEA’s Alicia Johnson. Johnson, a senior co-captain, expected to be an alternate in Monday’s playoff meet but was thrust into the lineup when two BEA starters failed to make the trip.

“I was nervous because I really wasn’t expecting to play on varsity today,” Johnson said. “I just tried to do the best I could.

“I was trying to draw her into the net so I could either lob over her or try to pass her. But she’s a good player and didn’t give me a lot of opportunities.”

Johnson, who also serves as an athletic trainer for the BEA football team and competes with the track and field team in the spring, said it was kind of sad to be playing in the final dual meet of her high school career.

“I’ll miss it because it’s been a lot of fun,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed being a leader on the team with our other co-captain, Jackie Klinkner.”

Johnson is leaning toward attending Winona State next year to major in sports medicine.

BEA’s only victory Monday came at first singles where Klinkner and Emily Slamma won 6-1, 6-4. St. Peter controlled the rest of the meet, winning each of its six matches in straight sets.

Tina Aarsvold (No. 2 singles), Dirks and Katie Hanson (No. 4 singles) each had 6-0, 6-0 victories for the Saints. Katie Huber (No. 1 singles) was a 6-0, 6-1 winner.

BEA ends the dual meet season with a 6-10 record. St. Peter (10-3) plays Le Sueur-Henderson at 4:30 p.m. today in a Section 2A semifinal match in St. Peter.

St. Peter 6, Blue Earth Area 1
SINGLES: 1—Katie Huber (SP) def. Abby Nimz 6-0, 6-1; 2—Tina Aarsvold (SP) def. Blair Zierke 6-0, 6-0; 3—Sidney Dirks (SP) def. Alicia Johnson 6-0, 6-0; 4—Katie Hanson (SP) def. Autumn Drake 6-0, 6-0.

DOUBLES: 1—Jackie Klinkner & Emily Slamma (BEA) def. Lindsey Bitter & Taylor Volk 6-1, 6-4; 2—Bethann Cross & Megan Wenner (SP) def. Olivia Skaare & Jessica Skaare 6-3, 6-0; 3—Calleigh Carlson & Rachael Thompson (BEA) def. Sam Hogstad & Mackenzie Lien.