Recap

Brewers Down Pronghorns Again in Four-Game Match

Brewers Stun Pronghorns in Mixed Doubles Comeback

The last time these two teams met in the Eastern Split, the Southwestern Ontario Brewers escaped with a hard-fought five-game victory. Looking to get this Western Split contest off in the right direction, Matty Stodola and Pam Clarke had to bring their “A” game against the Brewers Jeff Elwood and Susan Pound. The only thing was, the Brewers earned an “A+”, erasing a three-point deficit at freeze to win 15-14.

This game had all the hallmarks of a real veteran tilt, with great rallies, some outstanding defense and astute dinking. The Brewers got off to a quick start as Pound set up Clarke for a net return to give her team a 3-0 lead. Stodola drew his team even just as quick, hitting a sizzling cross and then an overhand to tie it up. A few points later, Clarke drove a massive overhand to put the Pronghorns up, countered by an Elwood flick to tie it.

The team’s made several unforced errors for a brief period, including a Brewers’ long serve and several side outs and net shots. Stodola stood out, ripping an overhand to regain the lead at 10-8 and another one to keep the two-point cushion at 11-9. Elwood and Pound fought back, rallying with great defense and then Elwood contributing a great cross to even the score.

The Pronghorns, who had won their two previous matches in the Western Split, went ahead seemingly for good, on two more Stodola stunners to get to freeze at 14-11. But, Stodola found the Selkirk net on freeze, followed by a Clarke net return. Pound then asserted her dominance, ripping two amazing crosses to win it.

Brewers Break Open Close Mixed Doubles Contest to Win Big

For a little bit at least, this game between the Brewers Christina Chin and Mark Cleminson and the Pronghorns Brad Chapman and Kim Brent was hard to predict. Chin and Cleminson, however, found a second gear midway through and dispatched their opponents by a count of 15-8, giving the Brewers a stranglehold on the match.

Both teams made solid defense to offense transitions early and combining superb rallying and shot making to see the score tied at 5-5. Brent then made a circus shot to put the Pronghorns ahead for the only time in the match, but Chin and Cleminson rallied for back-to-back points. The Pronghorns then dinked their way to a point to tie it 7-7.

Unfortunately for the Pronghorns this was the last time they were in range to win it. The Pronghorns were forced to take a time out down 10-7, after being on the wrong end of a Cleminson forehand rocket and then a Chin-Cleminson dinking rally capped by another Cleminson overhand bomb.

The break only paused the inevitable, though, as the Brewers again transitioned seamlessly from defense to offense and took a 13-7 lead on a marvelous Cleminson ATP. Brent countered with an Erne, only to see Chin set the Pronghorns up for a side out and then combine with Cleminson to shut the door on defensive play.

Pronghorns Women Pound Brewers to Keep Hopes Alive

After two big wins by the Brewers, the Pronghorns prospects didn’t look good coming into this women’s doubles game. It was up to Kim Brent and Pam Clarke to take down the Brewers Christina Chin and hard-hitting Susan Pound. It was the Brewers, however, who found themselves on the wrong end of a lopsided 15-4 final.

The only time in this pivotal tilt that the Brewers were in it happened with Brent sending a return long to put the score at 1-1. Then, Clarke smoked an overhand and Brent followed suit two points later, forcing the Brewers to take a time out with the Pronghorns up 4-1. It didn’t make a difference, as both Pound and Chin made several uncharacteristic unforced errors, leading to another time out down 10-1.

That break did help the beleaguered Brewers, for a tiny spell, with Chin making a nice drop and pounding an Erne to get the count to 11-3. Brent answered with a sweet cross and then Pound made yet another unforced error, followed by a Chin net return to put the game at freeze, 14-3. Mercifully, Clarke ended the contest with a massive overhand.

Brewers Hold Off Pronghorns in Men’s Doubles to Take Match

If there were a textbook on how to play pickleball, elements of this entertaining game between the Brewers and Pronghorns would be in it. The Brewers pair of Jeff Elwood and Mark Cleminson tangled with game opponents Matty Stodola and Brad Chapman, eventually prevailing 15-13 to cement the match win for the Brewers.

From the beginning, both teams put on an admirable display of offense to defense transitions, dinking rallies and great shot selection to keep it close. The Brewers went ahead 3-1 on a superb Elwood backhand, before an extended rally by both teams resulted in a Pronghorns point. After the Brewers went ahead 5-3, the Pronghorns rallied to tie it up at 6-6, forcing the Brewers to return shots long.

Unfazed, the Brewers rallied again, combining an Elwood forehand for a winner, followed by a dazzling display of dinking and a Cleminson overhand, and finally a defensive rally to go ahead 9-6 and force a Pronghorns time out. Chapman hit one long to up the Brewers margin to 10-6, but the Brewers didn’t capitalize, with Elwood sending back-to-back returns long, followed by a furious Pronghorns offensive rally to make it 10-9 Brewers.

Elwood answered the bell, then, smashing an elusive forehand and then the Brewers dinked their way to a commanding 12-9 lead. The Pronghorns trimmed the lead to 12-11 after forcing Brewers errors and eventually climbed all the way back to a 13-13 draw. But, they hit a long return on the next volley and lost it when the Brewers set them up to hit it side out.