Recap

Lions Stave Off Furious Rally by United to Top Four-Game Match

United Stays in Match with Electric Victory over Lions in Third Game

After the Montreal Lions had cruised to two straight wins to open the match, 15-11 and 15-8, it was do-or-die time for United in Game 3.

The two teams didn’t disappoint the crowd, trading some big shots in a thoroughly entertaining game. Montreal’s duo of Cam Rich and Kim Layton started out on fire, getting out to an 8-4 advantage, highlighted by the first dive attempt of the match by Layton. She tested the PickleRoll Floor well, returning the cross shot by Toronto.

United’s Hannah Blatt and Matt Kawamoto answered the bell, evening the score at 10-10. During that rally, Kawamoto smashed a Dura ball with elan, getting the score to 10-9 and then an unforced error by Montreal’s Rich evened up the score.

Kawamoto and Blatt used that as impetus, with a composed Blatt blasting a shot for a key point and Kawamoto following suit to put Toronto up 13-11. Montreal’s Rich did give the Toronto pair all they could handle on a blast to get the score to 13-12, but another unforced error put the Lions on the brink of defeat at 14-12.

Undaunted, though, Montreal stormed back to tie it at 14-14 and then the two teams traded advantage.

In a final rally, Rich was too passive on a return shot, which Blatt blasted back to hand Toronto a hard-earned and pivotal 15-14 victory.

Late United Rally Falls Short in Pivotal Fourth Game

While it wasn’t too little, too late, Toronto United did fall short after dropping the fourth and final game of an entertaining match with Montreal Lions.

Down 14-7 in the pivotal game, the United duo of Martina Wynia and Daniel Gottfried staged an amazing rally, coming all the way back to knot the game at 14-14. This was highlighted by an enormous smash by Gottfried.

Unfazed, the Lions pair of Grace Thomas and Eric Gagnon kept their composure, winning 15-14 on an unforced error by Toronto United.

This game was indicative of the entire match, with many dramatic swings, with United eventually squandering two big deficits, the first as Montreal went on an unchallenged 4-0 run to start proceedings.