Recap

Wolverines Triumph in Wild 5-Game Match with United

United Mixed Doubles Outduel Wolverines in Thriller

This was a battle of Canadian Pickleball heavyweights and in the end United scored the final knockout punch. In a wildly entertaining first game, United’s Matt Kawamoto and Hannah Blatt transitioned well from offense to defense and blasted just enough good shots to overcome Wolverines stars Joel Pelletier and Angie Walker by a count of 15-14.

Kawamoto and Blatt held an early edge, with Blatt putting on a dinking display and Kawamoto supplying the fireworks in the form of three blazing shots for points. Pelletier, who would be Player of the Match, got in a wicked cross of his own. Pelletier and Walker hit back at the midpoint, both crushing shots to tie it 9-9.

The game culminated in more glorious shot-making, with the lead changing hands three times, with United rallying when down 14-13 to win this highly entertaining game.

United Takes Control of Match with Convincing Victory

After a so-so Eastern Split, a rejuvenated United squad was 2-0 in the first two matches of the Western Split. Hungry for more and up one game in this match, Mark Gottfried and Carolina Hack made short work of the Wolverines Haddow Thul and Vicky Strandlund, at least after a tight first half.

United got off to a quick start, taking a 3-1 lead after a Hack seeing-eye cross eluded the Wolverines, who stormed right back with a sneaky serve winner off the paddle of Strandlund followed by a searing Thul backhand winner. And so it went until the Wolverines called a timeout down 8-7.

They knotted it up after the break, but then United kicked it into high gear. Gottfried got on a roll, with Hack playing an excellent supporting role, nailing three straight points. With United ahead 13-10 late, Hack finished off the Wolverines with two straight blistering crosses.

Wolverines Stave Off Furious Rally to Trim United in Women’s Doubles

This one should have been over early. The Wolverines duo of Strandlund and Walker built a commanding 9-1 lead but had to keep their composure long enough to beat United’s Blatt and Hack 15-13, keeping their team in the match.

The Wolverines had United on their heels early and punished them with powerful shots that United found the Selkirk net on several times. Queue the comeback. Blatt and Hack gave as good as they got, slowly chipping away at the lead with defense and timely shots, forcing a Wolverines timeout at 10-6.

Walker restored a six-point cushion with two amazing forehand winners, however, United would count four straight with Blatt and Hack smoking two winners each. The Wolverines would get to freeze at 14-11 but had to call a timeout when United countered with staunch defense to get within one. The Wolverines, though, finished it off with a great defensive display.

Wolverines Men Squash United to Send Match to Tiebreaker

While it was close at the beginning, it was all Wolverines for most of this pivotal tilt. The Wolverines Pelletier and Thul never gave up an early lead, cruising to a 15-9 thumping of United’s Kawamoto and Gottfried. Pelletier and Thul were particularly sharp in the early going, both getting in a mixture of flicks, forehands, and crosses to take a 6-2 lead. United did show some life for a bit, countering with great shot making and defense to tie it up 8-8.

The Wolverines would then put their foot on the gas and aided by some very loose play from Gottfried – who made seven unforced errors total – they forced a United timeout leading 11-8. Offense to defense transition by the Wolverines won the day after the break, sending this one to a tiebreaker.

Wolverines Complete Crazy Comeback with Tiebreaker Victory

There was no better way to end this oh-so-entertaining match. Improbably, the Wolverines fought their way to a come-from-behind 15-14 win to cap a marvelous match comeback.

This singles tiebreaker was a true nailbiter, with Kawamoto setting the tone with massive shots against Thul to take a 3-0 lead. Blatt upped it to 4-0 over Pelletier but surrendered two on side out hits. Gottfried got the lead back to 5-2 against Walker, but his loose play allowed Walker to count two to make it 5-4 United. Strandlund then clipped Hack 2-1 to even things at 6-6.

After Kawamoto went down 2-1 to Thul, Blatt pounded Pelletier for an 11-7 United lead. Two sets later, Hack took Strandlund for two to get to freeze at 14-10.  However, Thul would swat his way to two more and Pelletier followed with two against Blatt to tie it. Walker would blast a cross to beat Gottfried and win the match.