CROOKSTON PIRATE GIRLS TENNIS OPENS SEASON WITH WINS OVER ROSEAU AND EGF

The defending Section 8A Champion Crookston Pirate Girls Tennis team kicked off the 2024 season with a pair of two big Section 8A victories with a 5-2 win over Roseau and a 4-3 victory over East Grand Forks in a triangular at the Crookston High School Tennis courts.  

CROOKSTON VS ROSEAU –
Crookston won the first three matches of the day as Kaylie Clauson was strong in her first singles match in a 6-2, 6-2 victory. “It was Kaylie’s first-ever singles win on varsity,” said Pirate Coach Gina Gunderson. “She played really well….it was exciting.”

Ava Martin was the third match complete as she won her third singles match in a hard-fought back-and-forth battle 6-4, 6-3. “It was a fun match to watch,” said Coach Gunderson. “You could tell Ava’s nerves were better today, and it was her first varsity win, so that was exciting.”

Paige Abrahamson won a good battle at second singles winning the match 6-3, 6-1 to give the Pirates a 3-0 lead. “Paige is always a consistent player,” said Coach Gunderson. “She always has good rallies and had some nice shots.”

The teams split the remaining four matches. The Pirates’ first doubles team of Addie Fee and Georgia Sanders started slow before picking up their play to win the first set 7-5 and cruised to a 6-0 second-set victory. “It took a little bit to get warmed up,” said Gunderson. “They started to mesh with each other and had an awesome second set.”

The Pirate second doubles team of Ashlyn Bailey and Logan Brekken had a solid all-around match with a 6-3, 6-1 victory. “They are playing well together,” said Coach Gunderson. “It has been fun to watch.”

Roseau won a good battle at fourth singles with a 6-4, 6-4 victory, and they also won the third doubles match last Ella Wright and Lizzie Kennedy (daughter of Crookston High School Class of 1995 grad Jessica (Olson) Kennedy) won 4-6, 6-2, 13-11 as Crookston won the match 5-2. “It was a beautiful day for tennis and a great way to start of the day,” said Coach Gunderson.

CROOKSTON VS EAST GRAND FORKS –
The Crookston Pirates’ first and second doubles teams picked up two big wins, and the second and fourth singles players earned decisive wins to lead the team to a 4-3 victory over the East Grand Forks Green Wave. Two of Crookston’s losses came in third-set tie-breakers.

In doubles, Kaylie Clauson and Georgia Sanders teamed up to win the first doubles match 6-4. They got stronger as the match went along and won the second set 6-2. “I think it was the first time they played together in a while, and they came out, and it took them a while to get in the groove,” said Coach Gunderson. “They both adjusted well and finished strong.”

The second doubles team of Ashlyn Bailey and Logan Brekken won a back-and-forth battle 7-5 in the first set but picked up their play in the second set and cruised to a 6-2 victory. “They had lots of deuces and won some big points,” said Coach Gunderson. 
 
In singles, Paige Abrahamson won the second singles match with a 6-4 victory in the first set, and she finished the match strong with a 6-2 victory in the second set. “Paige is a consistent player and came out and played well today,” said Coach Gunderson. 

The fourth Pirate victory came at fourth singles where Emelia Hoerner won the fourth singles match with a hard-fought 6-4 first set, and she pulled away in the second set with a 6-1 victory. “Emelia has been playing well at fourth singles, and it was her first varsity win,” said Coach Gunderson. “She was a happy girl when she finished.”

Crookston improves to 2-0 on the year and will host the Carla Johnson Memorial tournament on Saturday.