Recap

United Defeats Rollers in Tight, Entertaining Match

Rollers Finish off United Quickly in Women’s Doubles

This was likely not the start that Toronto United – which won its previous match in this Western Split – wanted. The Northern Rollers pair of Jessica Kawamoto and Emma Li made short work of United’s Hannah Blatt and Carolina Hack, winning 15-7.

In swift succession, Blatt and Hack made three unforced errors and had a miscommunication cost them a point, forcing a time out with the Rollers ahead 4-0. The Rollers pushed a couple of Dura balls long and into the net themselves, however, United couldn’t capitalize, other than a massive Blatt forehand that made the score 6-3 in favor of the Rollers.

Kawamoto and Li were more in sync and put on a dinking clinic to push the score to 10-4 and another needed timeout by United. After the brief rest, Blatt did answer well for a point, blasting an overhand that neither Li or Kawamoto could get to, but the Rollers answered right away, going on the attack, and forcing yet another United unforced error. After two more long returns, the Rollers took a commanding 13-6 lead, just before Hack set the Rollers up to go side out. That was all United had in the tank, though, with the game ending on a wicked Kawamoto set up that forced United to hit one into the net.

United Rallies to Steal Win from Rollers in Men’s Doubles

While the final score was tight, 15-14, this was not a masterpiece by Toronto United, which was on the right side of the score in this game. Matt Kawamoto and Mark Gottfried found themselves down early, but ended up winning, and in the process tying this match, when the Rollers duo of Corey Osborne and Jonas Dahler made untimely unforced errors.

Osborne and Dahler dinked well enough to jump out to a 4-0 lead and were the recipients of good fortune in the form of United returns that found the Selkirk net or went side out. Kawamoto and Gottfried then awoke from their early slumber, rallying with great defense and a wicked shot each to narrow the gap to 5-4.

United did make a couple more good strikes after that, but more unforced errors allowed Osborne and Dahler to stay on top at 9-6. A couple of points later, Osborne made a great set up shot that United hit side out and for all intents and purposes the Rollers looked in control. But Kawamoto and Gottfried fired some scintillating returns for points, answered by a Dahler forehand on one occasion and a blistering Osborne overhand on another to put the Rollers ahead 12-10.

Dahler then hit one short to trim the lead to 12-11, but Gottfried did the same, followed by a tremendous flick to make the score 13-12 in favor of the Rollers. Dahler then hit what should have been the dagger, nailing a cross to get the Rollers to freeze at 14-12. However, the Rollers were the authors of their own demise, putting three straight shots either into the net or side out to hand United the victory.

United Takes Lead in Match with Comeback Victory in Mixed Doubles

Credit Carolina Hack and Mark Gottfried for not getting rattled early in this pivotal game. The United pair were down early, surrendering four straight points to the Rollers Emma Li and Corey Osborne, after Hack put them up 1-0 with a great crossing shot.

From there, the Rollers maintained a slight edge, gaining points on short rallies where United returned shots into the net or went long, taking a 7-6 lead. It went downhill for the Rollers from there, however, as Osborne – who was great offensively from the start – found net to tie it and then United’s Gottfried swiped a great flick to put his team up 8-7.

After the Rollers took a timeout down 9-7, Gottfried made the shot that defined this swing game, plunking Osborne with forehand Erne. United then benefited from some good luck, getting a net cord shot to drop to go ahead 12-8 and Hack slipping a great set-up shot deep to give United a 14-9 advantage at freeze. Hack then finished off the Rollers with a scorching flick that Li put side out for a 15-9 United triumph.

Rollers Force Tiebreaker with Narrow Defeat of United in Mixed Doubles

Let’s just call this one “The Battle of the Kawamotos.” In a game they sorely needed to win, the Rollers duo of Jessica Kawamoto and Jonas Dahler had to beat the formidable United team of Matt Kawamoto (Jessica’s brother) and Hannah Blatt. And they did, combining just enough well-timed shots and playing astute defense to win 15-13 and tie the match.

United got off to the hot start, with Blatt setting up the Rollers to go net on return, followed by Matt Kawamoto also setting up his sister to find net as well for a 2-0 advantage. That dissipated quickly, as United found back-to-back net shots, while Jessica Kawamoto slammed a cross to put the Rollers ahead 4-3. Jessica then took over for a bit, combining with Dahler to get the Rollers ahead 7-4.

Unforced errors then played a part as Jessica went side out and Dahler hit the net to trim the lead to 7-6, followed by a net cord shot by United’s Blatt that just stayed in to tie it. Matt Kawamoto then did his level best playing defense to allow United to get the game to 10-10 and put doubt in the Rollers’ minds.

However, Matt Kawamoto hit one side out, forcing a time out at 11-10 Rollers, which was followed right away by a great dinking rally and Dahler cross to make the score 12-10. United did tie it up at 12-12, courtesy of two more Rollers’ unforced errors, but the Rollers again played outstanding defense to go up 14-13 at freeze, winning it when Jessica Kawamoto astutely set up Blatt to hit it side out for the victory.

United Down Rollers in compelling Singles Tiebreaker

The Northern Rollers had yet to win a match in either the Eastern or Western Split, but unfortunately couldn’t find the secret sauce in another tiebreaker to break the goose egg. United, however, had too many answers to some good Rollers shots, winning it by a count of 15-10.

It started off well enough for the Rollers, with Jonas Dahler taking two of three from Matt Kawamoto, the second point on a wicked flick. Jessica Kawamoto followed suit for the Rollers, grabbing two out of three from Hannah Blatt, the last point a blistering overhand to put the Rollers ahead 4-2. But United’s Mark Gottfried turned the tide for good, going 3-for-3 against Corey Osborne to give his team a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

The Rollers Emma Li did tie it at 6-6 against Carolina Hack with an offensive spurt, only to have Matt Kawamoto flip the script on Jonas Dahler for an 8-7 United advantage. Jessica Kawamoto tied it on a brilliant cross against Blatt, but then allowed United to go ahead 10-8 with two side outs. It was all United from that point, as Gottfried took two of three from Osborne, followed by a 2-for-3 from Hack, who hit the shot of the game, a seeing eye lob to put United up 14-10 at freeze. Matt Kawamoto cemented the game and the match with a blazing cross that eluded Dahler.