Recap

Rollers Win First Match of 2023 over Wolverines

Rollers Women Get Match off to Great Start with Convincing Victory

If ever a team needed a spark, the Northern Rollers got a big one from Jessica Kawamoto and Emma Li in the form of a 15-12 triumph over the West Coast Wolverines Angie Walker and Vicky Strandlund. This entertaining win would propel the Rollers to their first match victory after 10 straight losses in the Eastern and Western Splits.

Li and Kawamoto started out quick, with Li providing to excellent shots to put the Rollers ahead 3-1. However, the Wolverines climbed right back, due to some unforced Rollers errors and a scorching Walker forehand to take an 8-5 lead. Li and Kawamoto, the eventual player of the match, chipped away at that margin both combining on slick defensive to offensive transitions and making well-timed shots for points and taking a 10-9 lead.

The teams traded unforced errors to make the score 12-11 for the Rollers and a furious offensive rally with great defensive pushback from the Wolverines resulted in a Rollers point. Walker hit a beautiful cross to get within one, but Li and Kawamoto finished the Wolverines off with a massive rally.

Wolverines Men Even Things Up with Gutsy Effort

At first, it looked like the Wolverines men’s doubles team of Haddow Thul and Joel Pelletier were going to win in a walk over the Rollers Rob Krizmanich and Jonas Dahler. The Wolverines had to fight off serious Rollers’ comeback attempts on three occasions to finally gut out a 15-12 win.

Pelletier and Thul swatted their way to an early 3-0 cushion and then six points later Pelletier fired an overhand rocket that hit Krizmanich to make it 6-3. The Rollers then went on a 3-0 run, thanks to outstanding defense and a Dahler overhand bomb to tie it up 6-6.

The Wolverines then went to work again, building a three-point margin on defense and Rollers’ unforced errors, only to see Krizmanich make deft backhand and forehand shots to make the score 10-8. But the unforced errors on the Rollers side then piled up, leading to a freeze at 14-8 when Thul smashed an overhand winner.

Not yet down and out, the Rollers forced four serve changes and narrowed the gap to 14-12 but would fall after a tremendous Wolverines rally.

Rollers Keep Wolverines at Bay in Mixed Doubles to Win Key Game

This was a tale of two games within one. Jessica Kawamoto and Jonas Dahler did come out on top 15-10 but nearly blew a few five-point leads to the Wolverines Joel Pelletier and Angie Walker. Right out of the gate, Kawamoto and Dahler put the Wolverines on their heels, quickly going ahead 3-1. Then Kawamoto made a nice set-up shot for a point and followed it with a backhand winner, just before Dahler put them ahead 6-1 on a blazing forehand.

This trend would continue until the score was 10-4 Rollers after a big rally and a Dahler overhand. However, the mojo would go away moments later, as both Kawamoto and Dahler made unforced errors leading to a timeout and the score 10-7. Kawamoto was long on two consecutive returns to make it 10-9 and two points later Pelletier rifled an overhand that Kawamoto couldn’t handle to make the score 11-10. That would be as close as the Wolverines would get, as Kawamoto and Dahler transitioned well and forced Walker and Pelletier into four straight unforced errors and the victory.

Rollers Rally to Match-Clinching Triumph

This game was the embodiment of this whole match, which was a hard-earned first match win for the Rollers. As in the other games, an early lead was erased, the lead changed hands twice and a late flurry decided it.

As in other games, the Rollers Krizmanich and Li quickly jumped ahead 4-1 against the Wolverines Thul and Strandlund, with Krizmanich providing the fireworks in the form of forehand and backhand winners. Yet, the unforced error monster bit the Rollers and then Thul smacked a winner that hit Krizmanich to put the Wolverines ahead 5-4.

Not long after, the Wolverines rallied to take an 8-6 lead, helped along by two unforced errors by Krizmanich. With visions of a singles tiebreaker in their heads, the Rollers went to work to erase them, starting with brilliant set-up shots by both Li and Krizmanich to tie it. They then reeled off four straight points on brilliant defense punctuated with amazing winning shots. The Wolverines did make it interesting get as close as down 13-10, but they put two Dura balls into the Selkirk net to seal their and their team’s fate.