CROOKSTON GIRL’S TENNIS EDGES TRF

The Crookston Pirates Girls Tennis team showed a lot of improvement and used a different line up to beat the previously undefeated Thief River Falls Prowlers 4-3 in a dual in Thief River Falls. The match was competitive throughout the lineup and it all came down to the final match.  “It was a good matchup and a big win,” said Crookston Coach Cody Brekken.
Crookston lost to Thief River Falls 6-1 earlier this season. 

It was a little over an hour before the first matches were completed and Thief River Falls took a 3-2 lead as the first five matches completed within about 15 minutes of each other.
Crookston picked up wins at second singles when Halle Winjum outlasted Brooklyn Broadwell 6-3, 6-4 in a great match.  “Halle played great,” said Coach Cody Brekken. “She made her run all over the court and came up with a solid win.”  Brekken Tull also won for the Pirates with a solid 6-4, 6-4 victory over Bell Hamre. “Brekken has been playing unbelievable this last month and her improvement has been awesome,” said Coach Brekken. “She had a huge win at three singles.” Thief River Falls won at fourth singles, first doubles, and third doubles for the 3-2 lead with two matches remaining.

The second doubles match was a marathon and lasted over two hours.  Emma Osborn and Emma Gunderson started slow and lost the first set 6-2.  The Emma’s bounced back and played a great rest of the match and won the second set 7-5, and the cruised to a 6-1 win in the third set and the match.  With the second doubles victory, Crookston tied the team score 3-3.  “The girls started a little slow,” said Coach Brekken. “The second and third set they picked it up and they delivered.”

Hayden Winjum was playing first singles and was the last Pirate on the court as she took on Emma Fagerstrom.  Hayden had a great start to the match and won the first set and trailed 4-1 in the second set.  Winjum battled back to win the next two sets to get within a 4-3 deficit.  The two players exchanged wins before Fagerstrom won the set 6-4 to force a third and final set.
In the third set, Winjum had a good start and took a 1-0 lead.  Fagerstrom won the next game, but Winjum responded with a win to take a 2-1 lead. The two split the next two matches and Hayden led 3-2 as the marathon match continued to entertain the large crowd braving the cool temperatures.  Winjum continued to play steady and consistent tennis and took a 5-2 lead.  Fagerstrom answered one a big way winning two in a row to cut Winjum’s lead to 5-4.  After some rain sprinkles, and just shy of three hours later, Winjum won the set 6-4 to give the Pirates a 4-3 victory.  “It feels pretty great…I am exhausted though,” said Winjum after the match. “I was trying to keep a level head and kept hitting the ball back and force her to make mistakes.  The rain messed up my vision even more and it was getting tough towards the end.  It feels awesome and I am really proud of the team because it was a team effort.”

Comments from Hayden and Coach Brekken will be coming soon.

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