The two-time defending Section 8A champion kicked off its 2025 season with three matches at Park Rapids. The start of the season was delayed about 45 minutes as they waited for the courts to dry out after Park Rapids had some rain move through in the morning.
Crookston started the day with a 6-1 loss to Minnewaska Area, bounced back with a 4-3 victory over Mound Westonka, and ended the day with a 5-2 to Becker. All matches started at 2-2 to speed up the matches.
CROOKSTON VS MINNEWASKA AREA –
The first match of the season was a battle between two teams that were ranked in the top four of Class A last season with Crookston finishing fourth place at the state team tennis tournament.
Minnewaska swept the four singles matches in straight sets and they won two of the three doubles matches to win 6-1. Crookston’s lone victory came at first doubles with Emma LaPlante and Chloe Boll winning 6-3, 6-4. Laplante and Boll played a solid match as they played together at first doubles for the first time.
The second doubles team of Logan Brekken and Ava Martin had a good battle but came up short 6-4, 6-2.
The third doubles team of Grace Boll and Lucy Smith are stepping into the varsity lineup and had a great match and came up short 7-5, 7-5.
Ashlyn Bailey lost a hard-fought match 6-2, 6-4 to Alia Randt. Alia finished fourth place in the state doubles tournament last season, so it was a solid effort from Bailey as she go stronger as the match went along.
Emelia Hoerner lost a close match at second singles with a solid effort with a 6-4, 6-3 loss.
Crookston eighth grader, Lauren Tull, had her first varsity match of her career and started a little slow, but got stronger as the match went along and lost 6-2, 6-3 and a good battle at third singles.
Madelyn Anderson jumped into the varsity line up and lost 6-3, 6-2.
| CROOKSTON-1 | Minnewaska-6 | Win | Score | |
| 1st | Ashlyn Bailey | Alia Randt | MIN | 6-2, 6-4 |
| 2nd | Emelia Hoerner | Rachel Rankin | MIN | 6-4, 6-3 |
| 3rd | Lauren Tull | Olivia Danielson | MIN | 6-2, 6-3 |
| 4th | Madelyn Anderson | Ari Quelle | MIN | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 1st Dub | Emma LaPlante Chloe Boll | Norah VanZee Addy Heid | Crox | 6-3, 6-4 |
| 2nd | Ava Martin Logan Brekken | Kaylen Blair Clara Rankin | MIN | 6-4, 6-2 |
| 3rd | Lucy Smith Grace Boll | Adysen Hess Kennedy Blair | MIN | 7-5, 7-5 |
CROOKSTON VS MOUND WESTONKA –
The second match of the day was a 4-3 win for Crookston. Crookston picked up two wins at singles with Ava Martin winning her third singles match 6-3, 6-4. Lauren Tull picked up a 6-3, 7-5 victory at fourth singles for her first varsity victory of her career.
In doubles, Ashlyn Bailey and Logan Brekken played a great match and had some big shots to win the first doubles match 7-5, 6-4.
The third doubles team of Madelyn Anderson and Lucy Smith had a great battle and came away with a 7-5, 7-5 victory.
| CROOKSTON-4 | Mound W -3 | Win | Score | |
| 1st | Emma LaPlante | Suzie Marth | MW | 7-5, 6-4 |
| 2nd | Emelia Hoerner | Zoe Wood | MW | 4-6, 6-4, 10-3 |
| 3rd | Ava Martin | Maddie Scaley | Crox | 6-3, 6-4 |
| 4th | Lauren Tull | Sophia Jobin | Crox | 6-3, 7-5 |
| 1st Dub | Ashlyn Bailey Logan Brekken | Emily Hallett Annika Christoph | Crox | 7-5, 6-4 |
| 2nd | Chloe Boll Grace Boll | Ellie Schaefer Ella Salvati | MW | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 3rd | Lucy Smith Madelyn Anderson | Maria Sells Addy Bryan | Crox | 7-5, 7-5 |
CROOKSTON VS BECKER
Becker beat Crookston 5-2, but the match was much closer that that, as Becker won three three-set matches and all the matches were tight.
The two victories came at first and second doubles. At first doubles, Emma LaPlante and Chloe Boll won 6-4, 7-5. At second doubles, Ava Martin and Logan Brekken took care of business and coasted to a 6-3, 6-2 victory.
Ashlyn Bailey was the the last Pirate on the courts as she had a great battle at first singles. She lost the first set 7-5, won the second set 6-3, and lost a heart-breaker third set super tie-breaker 12-10.
The second three set match was at third singles with Lauren Tull losing the first set 6-3 before bouncing back with a 6-4 second set victory. In the third set super tie-breaker Tull came up short 10-5.
The third three-set loss for Crookston came at third doubles with Madelyn Anderson and Lucy Smith losing a heart-breaker. They lost the first set 6-4, won the second set 6-4, and in the third set super tie-breaker they lost a heart-breaker 10-8.
Crookston starts the season 1-2 and will be back in action on Wednesday when they host Roseau and East Grand Forks.
Click above to listen to Coach Gina Gunderson’s comments.
| CROOKSTON- | Becker- | Win | Score | |
| 1st | Ashlyn Bailey | Ava Duncombe | BECK | 7-5, 3-6, 12-10 |
| 2nd | Emma Hoerner | Gracie Conzemius | BECK | 6-4, 6-3 |
| 3rd | Lauren Tull | Arica Stach | BECK | 6-3, 4-6, 10-5 |
| 4th | Grace Boll | Bryn Dahlhiemer | BECK | 6-4, 6-4 |
| 1st Dub | Emma LaPlante Chloe Boll | Chloe Spear Tess Brown | CROX | 6-4, 7-5 |
| 2nd | Ava Martin Logan Brekken | Faith Bass Taylor Lesson | CROX | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 3rd | Madelyn Anderson Lucy Smith | Sammie Leaders Lauren Biegler | BECK | 6-4, 4-6, 10-8 |
