Recap

Montreal Lions Sweep Vancouver Rush for Fourth Match Victory

Lions Dominate Rush in Women’s Opener

The score was a bit lopsided, 21-12 in favor of the Lions, but emergency fill-in Hailey Almusa acquitted herself quite well. Filling in for Sophia Racine, Almusa made some nice shots but was also targeted for unforced errors by eventual Player of the Match Jade Cassandra Laporte and Anne-Sophie Courteau.

The Lions burst out the gate and were ahead quickly 5-2 against Almusa and Jordann Vigna. A few plays later Almusa smacked an excellent cross to get the score to 8-6 Lions, only to have Laporte answer with a booming overhand and a nice set up shot that eluded the Rush. The Rush were down 11-7 when both Vigna and Almusa rallied hard to score.

After that, however, the Rush couldn’t mount much of an offense, as Courteau made her presence known with two set-up shots that neither Vigna or Almusa could handle. Laporte later set up Almusa for a return into the Selkirk net and the Rush had to take a timeout down 16-10. Courteau would account for the next two points and Laporte finished off the Rush with two great forehands and a well-placed lob.

Lions Men Fight Back to Trim Rush

As formidable a duo as the Rush’s Brett Forsythe and Joe Willemsen are, they couldn’t seal the deal against CNPL rookies Ernesto Fajardo and Louis-Charles-Amyot of the Lions. The Lions played some outstanding Pickleball, coming back from being behind by three late to win 21-19.

In the early stages the two squads rallied to an 8-8 draw, as Amyot accounted for three key points and Willemsen countered for four of his own. After that, unforced errors reared their ugly head, including a head-scratching miss by both Willemsen and Forsythe to make the score11-10 Rush. A little later, Amyot was assessed a foot foul and Forsythe found net, with the Rush taking a timeout up 13-12.

The Rush upped the lead to 15-12 and then the Lions stormed back to tie, with Fajardo getting lucky on a net cord shot and then the Lions benefited from a Forsythe error to tie it. Willemsen and Amyot each scored great crossing winners, but then Willemsen made back-to-back unforced errors and Fajardo gave his team a 19-16 cushion with a backhand blast. The Rush answered back with three to tie it but lost when Amyot Erne knocked Willemsen’s hat off with an Erne.

Lions Mixed Doubles Claim Match with Complete Triumph over Rush

Coming into this match, the Lions at 3-2 were looking to get near the top of the table, while the 1-4 Rush were desperate to find their mojo going into the final matches of the Eastern Split. The Lions pair of Ernesto Fajardo and Anne-Sophie Courteau extended the Rush misery, beating the Rush’s Brett Forsythe and Jordann Vigna 21-14.

Vigna had just launched an overhand to tie it 3-3 before the Lions took over, as Fajardo was huge with shots and set-ups for unforced errors. However, with the Lions ahead 7-4, Vigna and Forsythe went on the attack to tie it. That would be as close as they would get, with the Lions rallying to score three straight and take an 11-8 lead. The high point for the Rush in a three-score sequence were two beautiful Vigna ATPs to put it at 12-10.

Fajardo and Courteau, unfazed, went on a mini run too, as the former struck a great forehand, followed by a lob to two and Courteau set up Vigna for a return into the net to go ahead 16-11. Forsythe did his level best with three blasts for points, only to have the Lions win it with superb defensive play.

Lions Rout Rush in Mixed Doubles to Complete Match Sweep

In just her first match of the Eastern Split, it had to be daunting for emergency call-up Hailey Almusa, considering her team had lost the match and it was just her second game. The Lions pair of Louis-Charles Amyot and Jade Cassandra Laporte, smelling blood in the water, ensure Almusa was busy being targeted. And it worked, as the Lions finished the whitewash with a convincing 21-9 win.

From the start, Almusa and partner Joe Willemsen could not get anything going. Amyot, who we believe was Player of the Game, and Laporte, who was Player of the Match, victimized Almusa with many directed shots for unforced errors, building commanding 9-1 lead and a Rush timeout. Before long, it was 15-5 and the Rush were forced into another timeout.

The Lions didn’t let up after the rest, both players making huge shots, while Almusa redeemed herself with a couple of set ups for points. In the end, though, a solid match victory for the Lions.