Recap

Rush Down Wolverines in Battle of Top Teams

Rush Dominate to Take first Mixed Doubles Game

In their last games of the Western Split, the West Coast Wolverines came in at 5-1 (no. 1 seed too) and the Vancouver Rush a respectable 4-2. With two powerful teams duking it out, the first game didn’t disappoint as the Rush’s Brett Forsythe and Alex Walker grabbed an early lead and never let go in a 15-11 victory against Vicky Strandlund and Haddow Thul.

Both Forsythe and Walker were forces in the early stages, Forsythe sending a big cross and an overhand to make it 4-1 Rush and Walker later helping force a Wolverines timeout, playing unbelievable defense and contributing a nice cross for an 8-3 cushion.

Down 12-7 later, the Wolverines mounted a bit of comeback, with Thul and Strandlund making good set-ups for Rush unforced errors and then rallying to get the score to 12-10. Walker and Forsythe, though, stood their ground and made blazing crossing shots, Walker for a 13-10 lead and Forsythe putting the icing on the cake at game point.

Rush Come Out on Top in Exciting Contest with Wolverines

On paper, this mixed doubles match-up would likely have been too close to call. On one side, the Wolverines Joel “the Assassin” Pelletier and Angie Walker and on the other, the fiery Nathan Choi and Casey Rodgers. In the end, Choi and Rodgers battled their way to a 15-13 come-from-behind win to put a stranglehold on the match.

Walker and Pelletier were a force from the start, combining to give the Wolverines the early 5-3 cushion. Choi replied in a big way, making a sweet backhand flick for a point, and then getting a lucky bounce on a net cord shot to tie it. The two squads then traded two points apiece to get it to 7-7.

Rodgers then asserted herself, accounting for four of the next five points on a drop, a set-up and two blazing crosses to give the Rush a 12-7 lead. On the other side, Walker put her stamp on the game, setting up Rodgers for a net return and smacking an overhand winner to force the Rush into a timeout up 12-10. The Rush then combined on a point with defense and eventually the teams fought to a double freeze at 14-13 Rush. Two rallies later, a fired-up Choi blasted a shot that Walker went side out with.

Wolverines Keep Match Alive with Exciting Triumph over Rush

We will have to call this one “the Battle of the Walkers.” In a game the Wolverines could ill afford to lose, Angie Walker, along with partner Vicky Strandlund, beat her sister Alex Walker and Casey Rodgers of the Rush, 15-11.

At first, it appeared that younger sister Alex was going to have the upper hand and send the Rush to a match win, scoring two big winners to force her older sister’s side to a timeout with the Rush leading 5-2. Perhaps a little mad her sister was getting the best of her, Angie would record three straight winning shots to tie it. Strandlund later hit a beauty cross to move the score to 7-5 Wolverines and then two points later a controversial line call sent the Rush to a timeout down 9-5.

The teams went back and forth, until Alex drilled an overhand winner to get the Rush within two down 12-10 and see the Wolverines take a timeout. Strandlund then gave her partner a breather, scoring the last two points on a set-up and a cross to keep the Wolverines alive.

Rush Complete Match Victory in Men’s Doubles Barnburner

If the Rush were to come out on top in this battle of the giants, they would have to bring their ‘A’ game. The Player of the Match Brett Forsythe and Nathan Choi did just that, weathering all manner of Wolverines countermoves from Joel Pelletier and Haddow Thul.

With Forsythe playing set-up man, Choi was able to operate freely near the no-go zone, hammering Dura ball after Dura ball for points to give the Rush a 5-2 lead. Pelletier and Thul, no slouches, fought right back, forcing a timeout with the score 6-5 Rush. Unforced errors, though, were the Wolverines problem for a bit, as they made three in a row to go down 10-6.

They fought valiantly, however, forcing a Rush timeout with the score tied 12-12 and a tiebreaker looming. Choi and Forsythe teamed to go up 14-12 and force a Wolverines timeout, then won the game after six straight dramatic freeze holds when the Wolverines hit net on return.