California Black Bears Pickleball Triumph: The California Black Bears earned a hard-fought win over the Bay Area Breakers on Wednesday, July 10, at the Edward Jones Major League Pickleball Mid-Season Tournament in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The match ended with a dominant DreamBreaker performance that sent California into the Challenger semifinals.
The team needed to win the second mixed doubles match to stay alive, and the duo of Layne Sleeth and Michael Loyd delivered. They beat Alix Truong and Collin Johns 11-4, keeping California’s hopes alive. Just last week, Truong and Johns had defeated them 11-8 at MLP New York, but this time Sleeth and Loyd flipped the result.
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Sleeth and Loyd Spark Turnaround
Michael Loyd praised his partner’s play and their teamwork during the match.
“Layne hit a lot of balls. When Layne’s hitting a lot of balls and I’m trusting her I think we do really, really well. She’s so solid, and I just trust her to set me up.”(Michael Loyd)
Following that win, the Black Bears controlled the DreamBreaker. Michael Loyd outscored Collin Johns 6-2 over two turns. Lina Padegimaite also added to the lead by beating Angie Walker 6-2, giving California a 21-11 victory to close the match.
Next Challenge: Las Vegas Night Owls
Now, the California Black Bears will face the Las Vegas Night Owls, the No. 1 seed in the Challenger bracket. Earlier on Wednesday, the Night Owls swept the College All-Star team to reach the semifinals.
The last time California and Las Vegas met, the match came down to a tight DreamBreaker. The Night Owls narrowly won that battle 22-20. This time, California wants a different outcome.
“In our last match with Vegas, they barely beat us out by two points in the DreamBreaker, so we know we’re capable of getting a win. We’ve gotta go back and look at some of those matches, look at what we did well, and just bring our ‘A’ game.”(Michael Loyd)
What Comes Next
The upcoming semifinal will be a big test for California. With a spot in the Challenger finals on the line, the team hopes to carry their strong performance forward. The match will also give them a chance to avenge their narrow loss against Las Vegas from earlier in the season.
News in Brief: California Black Bears Pickleball Triumph
The California Black Bears advanced to the Challenger semifinals at the Edward Jones MLP Mid-Season Tournament with a 21-11 DreamBreaker win over the Bay Area Breakers. Michael Loyd and Layne Sleeth led the comeback. California will face the top-seeded Las Vegas Night Owls next.
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