Recap

Wolverines Continue to Slay Day 1 Giants with Win over Lions

Women’s Battle Goes Down to the Wire as Wolverines Triumph

Coming off a huge win over the Prairie Pronghorns just minutes earlier, the Wolverines were facing a tough task in a rested Lions team which cruised into Day 2 of the Eastern Split with a 3-1 record. Thus, it was up to Wolverines women Sabrina Lam and Sarah Dufour to dig deep and take a game from the Lions Anne-Sophie Courteau and Jade Cassandra Laporte. It wasn’t easy but they did, impressively, leading wire to wire, 21-19.

Lam and Dufour came out swinging and the Lions Courteau and Laporte had no answer, making several unforced errors to allow an 8-4 Wolverines lead. The Lions then went on the offense, forcing the Wolverines to make a few boo-boos of their won and dinking superbly to make the score 10-9 Wolverines. Dufour and Lam went on a streak, forcing a Lions timeout down 13-9, but the tide turned over the next several rallies until the Wolverines had to take their last timeout and the score tied 18-18. The rest helped and Lam would put her mark on this contest, ripping a final overhand winner.

Wolverines Men Turn Tide on Rested Lions Side for Exciting Victory

Montreal’s Ernesto Fajardo is a fiery Pickleballer and to subdue him was a challenge at the Eastern Split. However, that is exactly what equally combustible players Joel Pelletier and Jonas Dahler of the Wolverines did, coming back from an early hole to win 21-15. Fajardo lit up the Wolverines early with a nice set up shot and massive cross as the Lions took a 5-1 lead. Yet, four points later, which included a freebie for a Fajardo foot foul and a Pelletier blast, it was tied 5-5.

The two sides duked it out with the advantage changing hands regularly. Dahler, who would be Player of the Match, was instrumental on defense and played off partner Pelletier well to keep the Wolverines in it. After Montreal’s Louis-Charles Amyot made a net cord shot for a point to make it 15-14 Wolverines, the Wolverines made a defensive stand that turned the tide of this tilt, scoring a key point. Fajardo, who had been brilliant earlier, made three unforced errors down the stretch, including a return of serve into the Selkirk net. Pelletier would win it on a forehand missile.

Lions Fall in Mixed Doubles to Give Wolverines the Match

Again, a rested team like the Lions should have – and could have – beat a Wolverines squad coming off a few minutes rest after beating the Prairie Pronghorns. Yet, it was the Wolverines Jonas Dahler and Sarah Dufour showing the most jam in a 21-18 triumph over Ernesto Fajardo and Anne-Sophie Courteau.

Kudos must go to Player of the Match Jonas Dahler, who was all over the Pickleroll floor, making shot after varied shot to help put the Wolverines ahead 10-5 early. Montreal did rally, playing some staunch defense and making great shots of their own to trim the score to 12-10. That seemed to spark the Wolverines, with Dufour adding to the Lions misery with great winners, leading to a 15-10 Wolverines lead and a Lions timeout.

The Lions kept the pressure on after the break, going up 17-10, but Fajardo and Courteau didn’t wither, each making some fantastic shots to get within three at 18-15. Dufour and Dahler would give up a few more, but matched the Lions shot for shot to grab the win and cement the match.

Lions Salvage Pride with Overwhelming Win in Mixed Doubles

While it wasn’t much to savor, the Lions mixed doubles team of Louis-Charles Amyot and Jade Cassandra Laporte made short work of Montreal Lions opponents Sabrina Lam and Joel Pelletier, 21-9. The closest this game got was 2-2 early and then Montreal took off, with both Amyot and Laporte contributing great shots and dinking well together to stymie the Wolverines.

With the score 9-5 Lions, Amyot asserted himself, setting up Lam for a net return and then smashing two forehands that took the life out of the Wolverines. Lam and Pelletier rallied for two points to keep it close, only to have Amyot and Laporte alternate winners to up the score to 16-7. The Wolverines would score a couple more points off Laporte errors, but Amyot had answers including a scintillating forehand bomb that made it 18-8. He then smashed a backhand, followed by a cross to get it to 20-8 freeze against a demoralized Wolverines side. Laporte would then win it with a superb backhand of her own.