Recap

United Wins Match after Waging Big Battle with Smash

Smash Women Escape with Win over United

Full value must go to the East Toronto Smash women’s doubles team of Leigh Bradwell and Jordann Vigna in their 15-12 defeat of Toronto United. However, it must be said that the United duo of Carolina Hack and Hannah Blatt were the more aggressive team and lost due to missed opportunities.

Blatt and Hack were prolific early, each whizzing crosses for winners, but also making unforced errors on the way to a 4-4 tie early. That seemed to give the Smash some energy, as both Vigna and Bradwell transitioned well from defense to offense to cruise to a 10-5 lead and force a United timeout.

After the break, the teams traded three points apiece, highlighted by some great dinking and beautiful scoring shots from Hack and Vigna. Hack and Blatt would then zing some forehands for winners and force a Smash timeout at 13-11. The Smash got it done after, staving off furious United charges and winning it on an unforced error.

United Rallies to Nip Smash in Men’s Doubles

This time, Toronto United didn’t fail to capitalize on opportunities. While the United women’s doubles team fought hard, but lost, the men’s team of Matt Kawamoto and Mark Gottfried got the job one against the Smash’s Chris Alain and Connor Weeks. United had to overcome three separate deficits in this one to win 15-14.

Alain and Weeks were great in the early stages, especially Alain who banged out two winners to get the Smash ahead 7-4 and force a United timeout. After the pause, Gottfried and Kawamoto came alive, both registering some remarkable shots, including a Kawamoto ATP that tied it up 9-9.

After Gottfried smoked a forehand cross to put United up 11-9, forcing a timeout, the Smash were able to tie it up at 11-11. But Kawamoto and Gottfried were too much the rest of the contest, registering blistering winning shots to overcome the Smash.

United Comes Back Again to Beat Smash in Mixed Doubles

Another game, another United comeback. In a recurring theme in this match, United’s Mark Gottfried and Carolina Hack had to come from behind on three occasions to narrowly trim the Smash’s Chris Alain and Leigh Bradwell, by a count of 15-14.

Alain and Bradwell were full measure the first half, combining great dinking skills and set-up shots to go ahead 8-5 and push United to take a timeout. The rest aided Hack and Gottfried, who took it to the Smash with superb transitional play and timely shots by Gottfried, taking their first lead at 10-9.

However, the Smash staged a massive rally, with Bradwell and Alain catching United in bad positions enough to go ahead on an Alain overhand and force a United timeout. That couldn’t have been timed better, as Hack and Gottfried rallied their way to the narrow victory.

Smash Turn Tables on United to Win Pivotal Fourth Game

Needing a big victory to send this outstanding match to a singles tiebreaker, the Smash mixed doubles pair of Jordann Vigna and Connor Weeks flipped the script and completed a comeback to beat United’s Matt Kawamoto and Hannah Blatt 15-13.

Vigna and Blatt were full value from first serve, both putting a stamp on this tilt with astute shots and defense, with Kawamoto and Weeks also sending overhand rips to put the teams tied at 6-6. Neither squad took command of the next eight points, with Blatt being a catalyst in three of her team’s four points and Smash collectively responding to make it 10-10.

Later, Kawamoto seemingly put United on top for good with a killer cross to make it 13-11. However, the Smash dinked and defended their way to a clutch come-from-behind triumph.

Total Team Effort from United Seals Match Victory over Smash

The Western Split was pretty kind to United to this point, going 4-1, and with the Smash pushing this to a tiebreaker, a fifth victory wasn’t assured. But, after going down 5-3 early in the singles tiebreaker, United poured it on to eventually triumph 15-10.

Down 5-4 after Player of the Match Gottfried made a seeing eye drop shot, Hack took all three points from Vigna to put United ahead for good. Kawamoto followed with another whitewash, stinging Alain for three points with astute defense and a wicked forehand winner.

Blatt then gave up two of three to Weeks, but Gottfried forced Bradwell into two unforced errors to make the score 13-8. Hack would surrender two straight points to Vigna, including a scintillating cross, but got Vigna to go side out to reach freeze at 14-10. Kawamoto made short work of the game and the match against Alain, sending a vicious backhand for the winner.