Brooklyn Pickleball Team Home Victory: The Brooklyn Pickleball Team earned another strong win against the Orlando Squeeze on Saturday night during MLP New York at Sportime Randall’s Island. Brooklyn defeated Orlando 3-1 in front of their home fans, repeating their earlier season victory over Orlando but this time on their own court.
Just over two months ago, Brooklyn beat Orlando 3-1 during the first Saturday Primetime Pickleball event at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida. The main change for Brooklyn this time was AJ Koller, who filled in for Dekel Bar, who has been out with an injury.
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Key Player Contributions
AJ Koller has stepped into the lineup for Brooklyn over the past six matches, helping cover the team’s losses on the men’s side. On Saturday, he played with Riley Newman in the men’s doubles match. They secured an 11-9 win over Orlando’s Federico Staksrud and Dylan Frazier, which put Brooklyn ahead 2-0 early in the contest.
Rachel Rohrabacher and Jackie Kawamoto continued their success as a team. They are on a ten-game winning streak in women’s doubles and have been the only stable pair for Brooklyn this season.
Rachel Rohrabacher talked about how the team has handled the injuries and changes.
“I felt like we went into this just trying to be flexible and ready for anything to happen. Even though some of the guys aren’t in, they’re on the sideline cheering for us to make it feel a little more normal. But shout out to AJ—he’s been with us for two weeks now and has been doing a great job.”
Match-Closing Victory
With Brooklyn leading 2-1, Jackie Kawamoto and Riley Newman had the chance to end the match. They faced Samantha Parker and Dylan Frazier from Orlando. Kawamoto and Newman played a dominant game, winning 11-2 to secure Brooklyn’s victory and three standings points.
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Riley Newman praised the support from the crowd after the match.
“It’s absolutely everything. Coming from a basketball background of playing in arenas where it’s packed, I love playing in those atmospheres, and our team does, too. You could see it out there. The adrenaline and energy from the fans leaks on the court, and so I had a blast playing out there today.”
Looking Ahead
Both teams will return to action on Sunday. Brooklyn will face the Carolina Hogs and the New York Hustlers. Orlando will take on the Columbus Sliders, who have also had a strong season.
This win helps Brooklyn stay near the top of the standings with 39 points and a 12-5 record. Fans will be watching closely to see if they can keep their momentum going in the next matches.
News in Brief: Brooklyn Pickleball Team Home Victory
Brooklyn Pickleball Team beat Orlando Squeeze 3-1 at Sportime Randall’s Island. AJ Koller filled in for Dekel Bar and helped secure the win. Rachel Rohrabacher and Jackie Kawamoto extended their doubles winning streak. Brooklyn next faces the Carolina Hogs and New York Hustlers.
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