Park senior co-captains Abby Fjelsta and Hannah Holmgren went out with smiles and no regrets Thursday.

Playing in the Class AA state tournament doubles at the Baseline Tennis Center on the University of Minnesota campus Thursday, the Park duo dropped their first two matches to be eliminated from the competition.

“It’s just an honor to be here honestly,” said Holmgren. “No matter what are scores are. It’s cool to be one of the few from Park to make it this far. And even though we didn’t win very much I think we did really well and it’s tough competition here.”

Fjelsta and Holmgren fell to fourth-seeded Emme Johnson and Annika Olson of Benilde-St. Margaret’s 6-0,6-1 in the Class AA consolation round Thursday. Johnson and Olson were upset in the first round, but powered past the Park pair in the first round of consolation play.

“I think we did well coming back,” said Fjelsta. “I think once we got into the swing of things we really got into it. I think we did good at the net. I think we could have worked on maybe our consistency. But otherwise I think we played really well. I think it was a good end to our season.”

The unseeded Park duo lost in the first round of state 6-0, 6-0 to a fifth-seeded Minnetonka team.

“They played great tennis,” said Park tennis coach Tony Townsend. “And the competition is very strong. I’m so proud of them. They had no fear. They stuck to their abilities. They remembered their competence and they attacked and attacked and attacked and that’s all you can do.”

Fjelsta and Holmgren were among just 16 doubles teams to qualify for the Class AA state tournament.

“I always tell the girls try to leave everything out of the courts, make 100 percent effort on every shot, physically, mentally and if you do that you’re successful,” Townsend added. “Doesn’t matter what the score of the match is. And I’m just so proud of them and so proud of what they have accomplished and what they have done to our program. You ignite something and that excitement just keeps on happening.”

Park’s Abby Fjelsta gets set to return with doubles partner Hannah Holmgren at the net in consolation play in the Class AA state tennis tournament. Photo by John Molene