New Jersey 5s’ DreamBreaker Victory: The New Jersey 5s proved their strength in DreamBreakers once again, overcoming the Brooklyn Pickleball Team 21-7 in a thrilling deciding match on Friday afternoon at the MLP Orlando 2025. This victory marked New Jersey’s second win of the season, as they rallied after Brooklyn had evened the match.
New Jersey Takes the Early Lead
New Jersey wasted no time in asserting themselves, with Anna Leigh Waters and Meghan Dizon setting the tone in women’s doubles. They dominated Rachel Rohrabacher and Jackie Kawamoto of Brooklyn, winning 11-6. The victory put New Jersey in a strong position early on, but Brooklyn quickly bounced back in the following round.
Brooklyn Strikes Back in Men’s Doubles
Brooklyn responded with a solid performance in men’s doubles. Dekel Bar and Riley Newman came out strong, dominating New Jersey’s Will Howells and Zane Navratil 11-3. Their dominant display tied the match at 1-1, ensuring the outcome would be decided in the mixed doubles rounds.
Mixed Doubles Drama
In the first mixed doubles match, Brooklyn took the lead once again. Bar and Rohrabacher played expertly, defeating Dizon and Navratil 11-4. This win put Brooklyn just one match away from clinching victory, but New Jersey was not about to give up.
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Waters and Howells Answer the Call
In the second mixed doubles match, Waters and Howells rose to the occasion, defeating Kawamoto and Newman 11-6. This win tied the match at 2-2, forcing the deciding DreamBreaker to determine the victor.
DreamBreaker Dominance
The DreamBreaker began with both teams tied at 2-2, and New Jersey’s Anna Leigh Waters took control early on. Waters outscored Rohrabacher 7-1 across the first two rotations, putting New Jersey in a commanding position. Navratil followed suit, easily defeating Riley Newman and putting New Jersey on the path to a dominant 21-7 win.
Howells later reflected on the key moments of the match and the importance of teamwork.
“She’s an incredible competitor, and she just brought me up. We had a tough men’s match—[Dekel and Riley] played really, really well—and then we had to come back. The team was super supportive even though we had a tough one out there, which was huge for the rest of the match.” – (Howells)
New Jersey 5s Build on Strong Team Spirit
Howells’ comments highlighted the resilience of the New Jersey 5s. Despite the initial setback in men’s doubles, the team’s mental fortitude and cohesive play carried them through to victory. Their ability to rally together, especially in the high-pressure DreamBreaker, demonstrated their readiness for the challenges ahead in the season.
What’s Next for Both Teams
Both teams will be back in action on Saturday. New Jersey will face the Atlanta Bouncers and Phoenix Flames, while Brooklyn will take on the Miami Pickleball Club and Orlando Squeeze. Both teams will look to continue their strong starts to the 2025 season.
News in Brief: New Jersey 5s’ DreamBreaker Victory
The New Jersey 5s defeated the Brooklyn Pickleball Team 21-7 in a DreamBreaker at MLP Orlando 2025. Anna Leigh Waters and Meghan Dizon took an early lead for New Jersey before Brooklyn tied the match with an 11-3 victory in men’s doubles. The 5s sealed the win with a dominant DreamBreaker performance. Both teams return to action on Saturday.