The Crookston Pirate Girls Tennis team are back on the courts in 2026, and they are getting things started at the Park Rapids/Roseau Invite, where they are taking on Mound-Westonka, Aitkin and Becker in Park Rapids on Friday.
CROOKSTON VS MOUND-WESTONKA –
Lauren Tull got the nod at first singles for the Pirates, and she was locked in the closest match of the morning against Maddie Schley of M-W. Tull was able to persevere, winning in straight sets by 7-6 scores, winning the first set tiebreaker 8-6 and the second set tiebreaker 7-3. M-W was able to pull ahead in the final three singles matches, winning them all in straight sets. Catelyn Maruska was the closest for the Pirates in fourth singles, falling 6-3, 6-4.
In doubles, Crookston’s first and second doubles pairs were involved in close matches themselves. Nora and Bridget Groven lost a tight match 7-5, 6-3, while Katie Seaver and Tegan Fanfulik nearly forced a third set, but dropped the match 6-4, 7-6. The highlight in doubles cam in third doubles; Ella Capistran and Kaylen Bedard cruised to a 6-3, 6-3 win, giving Capistran her first career varsity win.
New Pirate head coach Brielle Ellison was proud of the girls in this match, especially after the extreme roster turnover from last year. “Overall I think everyone played really well” said Ellison. “We graduated out ten seniors last year so it’s a completely new roster this season. Everyone worked hard for the first week of practice and it showed on the court.”
| CROOKSTON – 2 | Mound-Westonka – 5 | Win | Score | |
| 1st | Lauren Tull | Maddie Schley | Crox | 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-3) |
| 2nd | Sylvia Christensen | Sofia Jobin | West | 6-2, 6-2 |
| 3rd | Avery Mathews | Annika Christoph | West | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 4th | Catelyn Maruska | Abby Sells | West | 6-3, 6-4 |
| 1st Dub | Nora Groven Bridget Groven | Ella Salvati Ellia Schaefer | West | 7-5, 6-3 |
| 2nd | Katie Seaver Tegan Fanfulik | Addie Bryan Reagan Van Blaricon | West | 6-4, 7-6 (7-0) |
| 3rd | Ella Capistran Kaylen Bedard | Isabelle Shaema Izzy iner | Crox | 6-3, 6-3 |
CROOKSTON VS AITKIN –
As was the case in the first match of the day, Crookston’s only victors against Aitkin came in first singles and third doubles. Lauren Tull had a much easier go of things in her second match, cruising to a 6-2, 6-2 victory. On top of that, Ella Capistran was able to secure her first two varsity wins in a row, as her and Kaylen Bedard pulled away for a 6-3, 6-2 win.
Though the same Pirates lost in the second match, some of those matches were a lot closer. The first three-setter of the day came in third singles, where Avery Mathews came back to win the second set 6-3 to force a super tiebreak, which ultimately saw her fall 10-4. Catelyn Maruska was very close to forcing a third set in fourth singles but lost 6-4, 7-5, and the second doubles pair of Katie Seaver and Tegan Fanfulik were two points away from taking the first set in a tiebreak, but ended up falling 7-5, 6-3.
| CROOKSTON- 2 | Aitkin– 5 | Win | Score | |
| 1st | Lauren Tull | Ev Nordberg | Crox | 6-2, 6-2 |
| 2nd | Sylvia Christensen | Hailey Munsterfeiger | Aitkin | 6-2, 6-3 |
| 3rd | Avery Mathews | Katelyn Bill | Aitkin | 6-3, 3-6, 10-4 |
| 4th | Catelyn Maruska | Sophie Crain | Aitkin | 6-4, 7-5 |
| 1st Dub | Nora Groven Bridget Groven | Addie Steffens Cassi Smythe | Aitkin | 6-3, 6-4 |
| 2nd | Katie Seaver Tegan Fanfulik | Lynae Kinzer Greta Peterson | Aitkin | 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 |
| 3rd | Ella Capistran Kaylen Bedard | Cami Marshik Violet Eisenbraun | Aitkin | 6-3, 6-2 |
CROOKSTON VS BECKER-
| CROOKSTON- | Becker– | Win | Score | |
| 1st | ||||
| 2nd | ||||
| 3rd | ||||
| 4th | ||||
| 1st Dub | ||||
| 2nd | ||||
| 3rd |
