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Everybody wants to end their sports career with the best performance they can give.

Martin County West tennis standout Stephanie Biehn is no exception.

Biehn reached her fourth Class A individual state meet Thursday, conquering the Section 3A competition again.

Biehn commenced her opportunity for her third straight, and fourth overall, trip to state Wednesday with the first two rounds of section in Redwood Valley and the semifinals and finals Thursday at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter.

The now 4-time section champion has been a varsity standout since her junior high years with her successful efforts coming right away with a state trip as a seventh-grader, ending up with a 1-2 record, which she lists as her favorite career moment.

"No. (I didn't expect that type of success). I didn't expect to make it to the second day," said Biehn.

After two seasons of missing out on the state meet, Biehn returned as a sophomore and junior.

She scored a first-round win over United South Central's Andrea Allis 6-1, 6-0, before dropping a 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 contest to Mounds Park Academy's Brenna Kelly in the second round. Kelly placed fourth overall in her first season back.

Then last season as a junior, Biehn had quite a bit more success.

She downed Osakis' Rachael Grundman 6-2, 6-0 in the first round, before winning a 7-5, 6-0 match over Providence Academy's Elena Sullivan in the quarterfinals.

Rochester Lourdes' Alexa Palen, who eventually won the state title last season, claimed a 6-1, 6-0 win over Biehn in the semifinals.

Then in the 3rd-place match, Kelly scored a 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 win over Biehn for the second straight season.

"I kind of wanted to do better than I did last year. ... I kind of want to play well at state, if I make it. I didn't play well last year," said Biehn on her goals for the season.

Biehn said she has the most confidence in her forehand, but would still like to work on her overall stamina.

"Definitely conditioning. I'm still out of shape," she said.

And in this, her final season, she will have to overcome a problem that has been slowing her down since the summer.

Biehn has been playing with a pain in her abdomen since July 16 and it has effected her serve during the prep season.

"I was hitting a backhand playing doubles. My feet didn't move but my stomach did and I could feel something was not quite right," said Biehn.

For Biehn, tennis has been a family sport since she was in elementary school.

"I've been playing forever with my dad. I started hitting when I was six or seven. We play every night. It's just my time with my dad. It's brought us closer together. When I do bad (in a match) he feels it too," said Biehn.

Stephanie's sister Megan was also a standout tennis player for the Mavericks, also going to state, taking consolation runner-up honors.

"She (Megan) does play at the U (University of Minnesota) at a tennis club. I play her when she comes home," said Stephanie.

Biehn has no particular routines she goes through prior to a match.

"I tend to sit and be quiet or try to talk to people to keep my mind off it," Biehn said as she prepares for her final prep postseason challenge.

Biehn would like to play tennis at the next level and is looking at possibly attending the University of Minnesota-Duluth next fall. She is undecided on a major.