Recap

Prairie Pronghorns Outlast East Toronto Smash in Five-Game Sizzler

Smash Women Claw Back to Trim Pronghorns

On paper, this match-up looked to be dead even. With the Smash’s Christina Chin and Kim Layton doing battle with the Pronghorns Emma Li and Kim Brent, it nearly was. The Smash were a little uneven to start, but kept pecking away to beat their counterparts late, 21-19.

Li and Brent were tough in the early stages, forcing the Smash to make unforced errors and take a 5-2 lead. The Smash, while they were disjointed, hung around enough in subsequent rallies to get within two at 11-9 Pronghorns. The Pronghorns stepped it up, dinking and making so great shots to go up 14-11, but again, the Smash didn’t wilt, rallying to tie it 15-15.

The Pronghorns again went ahead and looked to be in command at 19-18, however, the Smash rallied to tie it. A wicked cross from Chin’s paddle got it to freeze and Layton won it with some outstanding defensive play and a Pronghorns side out.

Pronghorns Men Hang on to Beat Smash in Key Game

There was a little bit of fire in this match, and the ones to add kerosene were Nathan Choi of the Smash and soon-to-be Player of the Match Brad Chapman of the Pronghorns. Chapman and rookie partner Michael McCaffrey got the better of Choi and Dalbir “Beast” Bhandal, 21-18 to tie up the match.

As with many matches in this Split, it was very close in the beginning with both teams taking leads and giving them away. It was 11-9 Pronghorns at one point when Chapman put his stamp on the game, firing three ridiculous shots in a row to go up 15-9.

To their credit, the Smash didn’t fold, utilizing good defense and shot making to tie it 17-17. The Pronghorns didn’t yield to the pressure, though, winning this thriller with outstanding rallying and more blasts off Chapman’s paddle.

Pronghorns Win Low Key Mixed Doubles Game to Forge Ahead

For two mixed doubles teams with fiery players like Nathan Choi of the Smash and Brad Chapman of the Pronghorns, this one kind of felt matter of fact. Yet, the Pronghorns Chapman and Kim Brent needed every shot to down Choi and Christina Chin 21-20.

This key contest was as much dominated by great shots off all players paddles as unforced errors. There weren’t a lot of extended volleys and the lead changed hands too many times to count. Chapman, for his part, accounted for seven of his team’s points, capably back up by Brent, who set up the Smash for failure with good dinking and defense.

Choi and Chin were great at times, too, getting the better of the Pronghorns in the Kitchen, but were not as consistent playing off each other when they had opportunity to score. With the score at 20-20 freeze, Chapman broke serve with a forehand and Brent set up Choi for a side out to win it.

Smash Force Singles Tiebreaker with Amazing Effort

Down 2-1 in this match and looking to extend it, the Smash duo of Dalbir Bhandal and Kim Layton had a tall task to take down the athletic Michael McCaffrey and wily partner Emma Li. The Smash didn’t disappoint, rallying back from being down early to emerge triumphant 21-18 and send it to tiebreaker.

All players got in on the action from the first volley, with rookie McCaffrey showing off his skills to push the Pronghorns into an 11-9 lead. Then the “TSN turning point” happened. Layton and Bhandal put on a defensive clinic, getting to Dura balls they had no business getting to, abetted by a McCaffrey foot fault for a key point. From there, it was pretty much all Smash, as they took the lead and extended it, winning on a sweet Bhandal drop shot.

Pronghorns Best Smash in Singles Tiebreaker for Match Win

It was fitting, perhaps, that the Pronghorns needed singles tiebreaker to beat the Smash and thus even both team’s records to 4-4. Brad Chapman, Player of the Match, got things on track by winning the first three points against the Smash’s Kim Layton and the Pronghorns never trailed in this one. Chapman took 9 of 10 points from Layton, including the winner on a nice backhand for a 21-16 Pronghorns victory.

In the other mini sets, Michael McCaffrey beat Nathan Choi 5-4, one of his points coming on an astounding ATP. The Smash’s Dalbir Bhandal did his part to try and win this, beating the Pronghorns Kim Brent 7-2, while the Pronghorns Emma Li got the better of the Smash’s Christina Chin, 5-4.