Recap

Pronghorns Cruise to Victory over Smash in Four-Game Match

Pronghorns Women Prevail in Closely Fought Game

Between these two teams, coming off the Eastern and Western Splits, it would be hard to pick a favorite. Coming in, the Prairie Pronghorns held on to 3^rd at 8-6, while the East Toronto Smash were 6^th, fashioning a 7-7 mark. This game, then, was a true indication of just how close these two teams were coming into the playoffs. In the end, the Pronghorns Kim Brent and Pam Clarke beat the Smash’s Jordann Vigna and Leigh Bradwell, 15-11.

The score flattered the Pronghorns, as they flip-flopped the lead with the Smash until near the very end. It seemed that both squads were shaking the rust off from the interlude between the splits and the playoffs, with more unforced errors made than memorable shots. After Clarke smashed a forehand winner to tie the game 7-7, Brent set up the Smash for another unforced error, forcing a timeout.

Bradwell came out gunning after the rest, giving the Smash a brief lead at 10-9, but then making two straight unforced errors to hand the lead back to the Pronghorns. Brent and Clarke used that swing to score four straight points late for the win.

Pronghorns Men Take Advantage of Smash Errors to Win Handily

Brad Chapman, the eventual Player of the Match, and Matty Stodola were a force to be reckoned with in this game. The Smash’s Dalbir Bhandal and Chris Alain did not help their cause, either, in this 15-8 loss, making far too many unforced errors.

The two teams felt each other out for the first four relays, with the score knotted at 2-2. The Pronghorns then went on the offensive, jumping ahead 7-3 on a Stodola cross and four Smash shots that went side out or into the Selkirk net. Chapman was a factor for the next few plays, forcing the Smash to take a timeout when he sent a flick that hit Alain.

The break wasn’t kind to Alain, who handed the Pronghorns three more points, two on serve returns that either hit the net or went wide. The Pronghorns got to a quick freeze at 14-6 after Bhandal committed an unforced error. The Smash tried to hold on valiantly, scoring twice on sneaky set ups by both Bhandal and Alain, but Chapman finished them off with a great set up of his own.

Smash Stay in Match with Thorough Domination of Pronghorns

This game was one that the Pronghorns normally reliable Pam Clarke and Matty Stodola would rather forget. The Smash’s mixed doubles team of Dalbir Bhandal and Jordann Vigna were the fortunate recipients of nine unforced errors by their counterparts, leading to a 15-6 blowout and forcing a fourth game.

The Pronghorns may have already figured the jig was up when they called a timeout down 3-0 early. Before they could catch their breath, Stodola and Clarke were behind 6-0, with four unforced errors making up the lion’s share of Smash points. Stodola did give it his all to score two on a vicious overhand and seeing eye cross, but again, the Pronghorns had to take a breather down 8-2 after a Vigna smash.

Bhandal and Stodola then traded overhand winners, but the Smash forged ahead 10-3 when a visibly uncomfortable Clarke hit net on return. Stodola scored a point on a cross that was unreturnable, and later smashed an overhand for a winner, but in between he was victimized by three errant shots, leading to a 13-6 Smash cushion. Mercifully, Bhandal finished the game with a fantastic cross.

Pronghorns Triumph over Smash in Hard Fought Mixed Doubles Tilt

After a demoralizing loss in the first mixed doubles game that kept the Smash in this match, it took everything that Pronghorns duo of Brad Chapman and Kim Brent to narrowly edge the Smash’s Chris Alain and Leigh Bradwell, 15-13.

Player of the Match Chapman got things off on the right foot, giving the Pronghorns an early 2-0 lead with two outstanding set up shots that Bradwell went side out on. Alain allowed the lead to expand to 4-1 when he returned a serve long, but Bradwell answered with a blistering cross. Brent and Chapman forged ahead 6-4 on a set up and an overhand but took a timeout after Brent made an unforced error.

The two teams then went at each other until the Smash had to take a breather trailing 12-9 with Brent and Chapman forcing the play. Not giving in, Alain and Bradwell eventually tied it 13-13 and then a double freeze ensued at 14-13 Pronghorns. Chapman, fired up after Brent hit a nice cross to get serve back, finalized this match with a scorching cross.