The #9 ranked Class A Crookston Pirates Girls Tennis team beat the Bemidji Lumberjacks 5-2 and the Detroit Lakes Lakers 6-1 to sweep the Bemidji triangular. Crookston’s win over Bemidji is believed to be the first since 2010 according to former Pirate Coach Mike Geffre.
CROOKSTON VS DETROIT LAKES –
Crookston and Detroit Lakes were playing for the third time this season, so Crookston decided to use a different lineup. The only spot in the lineup that had a player at her usual spot was at #1 singles, with #10 ranked Halle Winjum cruising to a 6-1, 6-1 victory. Thief doubles also won early, as Brekken Tull and Kaylie Clauson won their first set 6-1 before having a hard-fought 7-6 second set victory, and the Pirates led 2-1 early on. “Brekken and Kaylie played well together today,” said Pirate Coach Cody Brekken. “They are competitors and battled today.”
Crookston continued to roll as Isabelle Smith moved up a spot and won at second singles 6-3, 6-2 to get her first second singles victory of the season.
Addie Fee won in a tight match at third singles with a 6-4, 7-5 victory.
The first doubles team of Abby Borowicz and Emma Gunderson lost the first set 6-3 but bounced back to win the second set 6-2 and the third set 10-3. ”
The third doubles team finished with a win as Morgan Nelson, who missed most of the season with an injury, teamed up with Paige Abrahamson to win 6-1, 7-6, and the Pirates cruised to a 6-1 win over Detroit Lakes. “Morgan played her first match of the year, and they played well together in the first set,” said Coach Brekken. “The team showed our versatility today with the lineup, and we saw several girls that can play both singles and doubles, which is great. It was good to change things up.”
| CROOKSTON-6 | Detroit Lakes-1 | Win | Score | |
| 1st | Halle Winjum | Anna Askelson | Crox | 6-1, 6-1 |
| 2nd | Isabelle Smith | Amaya LeCleir | Crox | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 3rd | Addie Fee | Jaden Mercil | Crox | 6-4, 7-5 |
| 4th | Jenna Seaver | Avery Klabundo | DL | 6-0-, 6-4 |
| 1st Dub |
Abby Borowicz Emma Gunderson |
Megan Lunde Ari Leitheiser |
Crox | 3-6, 6-2, 10-3 |
| 2nd | Brekken Tull Kaylie Clauson |
Abby Lunde Allie Bolar |
Crox | 6-1, 7-5 |
| 3rd | Morgan Nelson Paige Abrahamson |
Ella Cummings Marla Strawsell |
Crox | 6-1, 7-6 |
CROOKSTON VS BEMIDJI –
It has been a while since Crookston has beaten a Bemidji Lumberjack Girls Tennis team, but that changed in Bemidji on Tuesday afternoon as the Pirates continue to play outstanding tennis in a ?-? victory.
The match was tight from the start. The match was tied at 2-2 as Crookston picked up early wins at second singles, with Brekken Tull picking up a big, hard-fought three-set victory. Tull won the first set 6-4, lost the second set 6-2, and won the third set 6-4. “Brekken played one of the best matches she has played,” said Coach Brekken. “She beat a good player and battle in three sets.”
Another Crookston win came at fourth singles, with Paige Abrahamson picking up a straight-set victory 6-3, 6-2. “Paige took care of business today,” said Coach Brekken. “She was the only one to win in straight sets.”
Bemidji won an exciting first singles match with Emily Dondelinger coming from behind to win. Crookston’s Halle Winjum won the first set 6-4, but Dondelinger came back to win the following two sets. The other Bemidji win came at third doubles, with Noelle Mueller and Sam Wood outlasting Crookston’s Morgan Nelson and Jenna Seaver. Morgan and Seaver won the first set 6-1, but Bemidji won the following two sets, and the match was tied 2-2.
Crookston got a big win from Abby Borowicz at third singles when she won a three-set battle. Abby lost the first set 6-2 before winning the second set 6-1. Abby kept rolling in the third set with a 6-2 win, and Crookston led 3-2. “Abby has been solid at the third singles spot,” said Coach Brekken.
The next match complete was the second doubles, with Crookston’s Addie Fee and Kaylie Clauson winning the first set 7-6 with a 7-5 tiebreaker, and the Pirates led one set to nothing. Bemidji won the second set 6-3 before Fee and Clauson won the third set 6-2 to give Crookston a 4-1 lead and the team match victory. “Addie and Kaylie have played well together this year,” said Coach Brekken. “They had a big win, and it was good to see.”
The last match left was at first doubles and, you guessed it, another three-set match. Isabelle Smith and Emma Gunderson won the first set 7-6 and 12-10 in a tie-breaker. Bemidji won the second set before Smith and Gunderson won the third set 6-4, and Crookston. won the match 5-2. “It was a very competitive match through the lineup. As the pace picked up, the girls picked up their game, and to have six three-set matches shows how competitive it was.”
Crookston improves to 12-3-1 on the year and will travel to the Litchfield Tournament on Saturday. Teams competing are Benson, St. Peter, Litchfield, Delano,
| CROOKSTON-5 | Bemidji-2 | Win | Score | |
| 1st | Halle Winjum | Emily Dondelinger | Bem | 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 |
| 2nd | Brekken Tull | Anna Glen | Crox | 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 |
| 3rd | Abby Borowicz | Aline Arenas | Crox | 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 |
| 4th | Paige Abrahamson | Elizabeth Peterson | Crox | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 1st Dub |
Isabelle Smith Emma Gunderson |
Darby Neis Maddie Jensen |
Crox | 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 |
| 2nd | Addie Fee Kaylie Clauson |
Kendal Midboe Elena Peterson |
Crox | 7-6, 3-6, 6-2 |
| 3rd | Morgan Nelson Jenna Seaver |
Noelle Mueller Sam Wood |
Bem | 1-6, 6-2, 6-1 |
