CROOKSTON GIRL’S SOCCER SUFFERS SEASON-OPENING SHUTOUT VERSUS GRAND RAPIDS

The Crookston Pirates Girl’s soccer team was unable to overcome a slow start in a 6-0 loss against the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks in a non-Section game played at Noble Hall Field in Grand Rapids.

Crookston struggled with some early nerves to open their season, and Grand Rapids was eager to capitalize. In the eighth minute senior Ellie Tilma opened the scoring with a shot past Crookston’s goalkeeper Reese Swanson giving the Thunderhawks a 1-0 lead. One minute later, Tilma added to her account with a second goal in as many minutes doubling the host’s lead. Two minutes later, Natalee Bushman made it 3-0 with a goal further putting Grand Rapids in control. In the eighteenth minute, Kenny Martinson struck Grand Rapids’ fourth goal into the net giving the hosts a decisive advantage of 4-0. Crookston settled in the rest of the first half limiting the Thunderhawks’ damage to the first seventeen minutes of the opening frame. “In the first twenty minutes there were some first-game jitters,” explained Crookston head coach Sarah Reese. “We left some folks unmarked in their attacking third, but we turned things around and played competitively for sixty minutes.”

In the second half, the Pirates held their own, but Grand Rapids managed to add to its lead. Ellie Tilma completed her hattrick in the 43rd-minute boosting Grand Rapids’ advantage to 5-0. Amanda Scherping closed out the Thunderhawks’ offensive production with one final goal in the 61st-minute to secure a 6-0 win for Grand Rapids. “I was happy that we never gave up,” explained Crookston head coach Sarah Reese. “The last sixty minutes was pretty much played in the center of the field. Dillynn Wallace, Aleah Bienek, Clara Meyer, and Madeline Harbott all played well today.”

Crookston falls to 0-1 on the year and returns to action Friday, August 23 when the Pirates travel to Fergus Falls for a 2:00 P.M. match. Grand Rapids improves to 1-0.