The Crookston Pirate Volleyball team played an excellent match and showed a lot of heart and charecter as they battled to beat the Mahnomen/Waubun Thunderbirds 3-2 (17-25, 29-27, 25-23, 22-25, 17-15) in Waubun
FIRST SET
It was a back-and-forth battle early with ties at 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 13 before Mahnomen/Waubun went on a 7-0 run for a 20-13 lead. Crookston’s Morgan Boll stopped the run with a kill. After Crookston hit in the net to give a point to the Thunderbirds, Boll had another kill to get within a 21-15 deficit. The teams exchanged points before Ally Wagner had a kill to get within a 22-17 deficit, but the Thunderbirds scored the next three points for a 25-17 victory.
SECOND SET
Mahnomen/Waubun jumped out to a 6-3 lead before Brynna Kopecky and Wagner had kills to get wtihin a 6-5 deficit. The teams were tied at 7 and 8 before the Thunderbirds scored five straight points for a 13-8 lead. Crookston slowly chipped away at the deficit and tied the set at 16 behind the fantastic serving from Leia Parkin. The teams were tied at 17 before the Thunderbirds built a 24-21 lead. The Thunderbirds served in the net, had an attack go out of bounds, and hit another attack in the net for a tie at 24. The rest of the set was a wild one with ties at 25, 26, and 27. Crookston’s Kopecky had a big kill for a 28-27 lead and the Thunderbirds had an attack error and Crookston won the set 29-27.
THIRD SET
Crookston had a great start to the set with an 8-3 lead behind a Rilynn Aubol ace and Lyla Oman kill. Mahnomen/Waubun battled back to tie the set at 15 and the teams were tied 16, 17, 19, 20, and 21 before the Thunderbirds were called for a lift, were in the net and the Pirates led 23-21. The Pirate serve went out of bounds, but the Thunderbirds serve also went out of bounds and the Pirates led 24-22. After a Thunderbird kill, Crookston’s Lyla Oman had a big-time kill to give Crookston a 25-23 victory for a 2-1 lead.
FOURTH SET-
Crookston took a 4-2 lead to start the set while taking advantage of several Thunderbird attack errors. The Thunderbirds slowly battled back and tied the set at 16. The teams were also tied at 17 before Boll had a kill for an 18-17 lead. Mahnomen/Waubun scored four straight points for a 21-18 lead. Crookston’s Kopecky stopped the run with a kill and the teams exchanged points and the Thunderbirds led 23-22 before they scored the next two points for a 25-22 victory to tie the match at 2-2.
FIFTH SET –
Mahnomen/Waubun started the set with three kills for a 3-0 lead. Crookston battled back with a block from Morgan Boll, a Kopecky kill and a few Thunderbird errors and tied the set at 6-6. Mahmomen/Waubun built a 14-8 lead and it looked like they were on their way to a victory as Crookston had to score at least six straight points. The Pirates did better than six as they rattled off seven points in a row. It started with a Bruley kill and after two Thunderbird errors, Boll had a kill, then a block to get the Pirates within a 14-13 deficit. After the Thunderbirds had an attack go out of bounds, Boll had a kill for a 15-14 lead. The Thunderbirds answered with a kill to tie the set at 15 before Bruley and Boll finished the match off with kills for a 17-15 victory to win the match 3-2.
It was the first five set match for the Pirates since the first match of the 2024 season.
Crookston improves to 1-1 on the year and will travel to Red Lake Falls on Tuesday,September 8. Mahnomen/Waubun drops to 0-1 on the year.
J.V. Mahnomen/Waubun won 2-1. C Squad – Crookston won 2-0
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| Crookston | 17 | 29 | 25 | 22 | 17 |
| Mahnomen/Waubun | 25 | 27 | 23 | 25 | 15 |
For Crookston
Kills – Abi Bruley 10, Morgan Boll 8, Lyla Oman 7, Brynna Kopecky 6
Blocks – Lyla Oman 4, Morgan Boll 3
Digs – Brynna Kopecky 19, Leia Parkin 16, Ella Anderson 16
Assists- Keatyn Kliner 14, Rilynn Aubol 12
Aces – Leia Parkin 5, Rilynn Aubol 2
