Aceholes Power into Playoffs: The Aceholes, led by industrial engineering junior Kyle Nguyenphu and civil engineering sophomore Elvin Jaya, dominated their way to the top of the intramural pickleball league standings. On Wednesday night at the Omar Instructional Tennis Center, the duo soundly defeated Socks (21-9) and Hajjplayspickle (21-6), securing an undefeated record going into the playoffs.
Quick Start Against Socks
The Aceholes wasted no time in their first match against Socks, jumping to a commanding 7-2 lead early. After a brief response from their opponents, Nguyenphu and Jaya went on a decisive 4-0 run, pushing their lead to 11-4. In intramural pickleball, teams switch sides after one team hits 11 points, and the first to reach 21 wins.
Nguyenphu noted how tennis backgrounds of opponents can be exploited, a key element of their success. “They were pretty good and they definitely had a tennis background,” Nguyenphu said. “We knew they had a tennis background because I kind of know one of them, so I know he’s just going to fire and we know their weaknesses. A lot of tennis players don’t like to hit it soft. They just want to keep slamming it every time.”
After the switch, the Aceholes added four more points before Socks managed a brief comeback. But a deep lob from Jaya sealed the win with a 21-9 scoreline.
Scoring Runs Define Victory
Jaya attributed much of their success to their ability to go on sustained scoring runs. “Once you get a good rhythm going and you have momentum behind you, it’s pretty easy to get two or three points just like that,” he said, “If the other team is feeling it, their energy is up and the other team that’s against the run, they’re a little bit lower.“. The duo’s energy kept their opponents on the back foot, never allowing them to regain control.
Closing the Undefeated Season Against Hajjplayspickle
In the night’s final match, the Aceholes took on Hajjplayspickle in pursuit of an undefeated regular season. Jaya got the team rolling with two midcourt hits, pushing them to a 2-0 lead. While Hajjplayspickle briefly responded, Nguyenphu and Jaya’s relentless pressure and consistent play put them ahead 11-2 after another side switch.
Despite some back-and-forth exchanges late in the match, the Aceholes ultimately secured a 21-6 victory, cementing their undefeated run.
“We just played really consistently, [and] our shots were very purposeful,” Jaya said. “We put the ball where we wanted to and got points off of that.”
Eyes Set on Playoffs
Looking ahead, Jaya acknowledged the lessons learned from the night’s matches as they prepare for the playoffs. “These [matches] definitely give us stuff we need to work on,” Jaya said. “Closing out that second match took a little bit more effort than we’d like, and that’s something we need to work on. It was a good wake-up call going into playoffs.”
News in Brief : Aceholes Power into Playoffs
The Aceholes, led by industrial engineering junior Kyle Nguyenphu and civil engineering sophomore Elvin Jaya, secured an undefeated record in intramural pickleball after two dominant wins. They defeated Socks 21-9 and Hajjplayspickle 21-6 at the Omar Instructional Tennis Center, using consistent play and capitalizing on their opponents’ errors.
Nguyenphu highlighted their strategy of exploiting opponents’ tennis backgrounds, while Jaya emphasized the importance of momentum in their success. As they head into the playoffs, Jaya noted areas for improvement, particularly in closing out matches with more efficiency. The team is focused on refining their game for the next stage.
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