Crookston Pirate Girls Tennis’ junior duo of Halle Winjum and Emma Gunderson lost two extremely tight matches on the first day of the Minnesota State High School League Class A Girls Individual Tennis tournament at Reed-Sweatt Tennis Center in Minneapolis and were eliminated.
FIRST MATCH –
Winjum and Gunderson took on Allison Bluedorn and Keyana Haler of St. James in the first round and had a great start as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead. The St. James duo answered by winning the next four games to take a 4-3 lead and would hold on to win the first set 7-5. The next set was back-and-forth, but the St. James duo used their big serves and timely points to win the second set 6-3, and Winjum and Gunderson advanced to the consolation bracket.
SECOND MATCH –
Winjum and Gunderson took on Taylor Elliott and Erin Witter of Rochester Lourdes and had another extremely close match. The teams battled back and forth before the Lourdes duo won two in a row and won the first set 6-4.
In the second set, Crookston led on every change-over and had a 5-4 lead and things were looking like the Pirates might force a third set. Lourdes bounced back and won the next three games to win the set 7-5 and the Pirates were eliminated after two close matches.
COMMENTS FROM COACH CODY BREKKEN ARE BELOW
We will have pictures from the matches later tonight.
