Las Vegas Night Owls DreamBreaker Win: The Las Vegas Night Owls secured a thrilling 3-2 win over the California Black Bears at the Edward Jones Major League Pickleball Mid-Season Tournament on Thursday. The event, held at Belknap Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan, features all 22 Major League Pickleball teams over five days.
The tightly contested match came down to a DreamBreaker, where the Las Vegas team outplayed California 21-14 to seal the victory.
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Early Wins for the California Black Bears
The California Black Bears started strong with back-to-back wins in the doubles matches. In women’s doubles, Layne Sleeth and Lina Padegimaite edged out Brooke Buckner and Chao Yi Wang 11-9. The team of Juan Benitez and Michael Loyd followed up with another win, defeating Pablo Tellez and James Delgado 11-9 in men’s doubles.
These early victories gave California a 2-0 lead and momentum.
Las Vegas Levels the Match
The Las Vegas Night Owls bounced back in the mixed doubles rounds. Pablo Tellez and Chao Yi Wang overcame Layne Sleeth and Michael Loyd 11-8. Brooke Buckner and James Delgado then teamed up to beat Lina Padegimaite and Juan Benitez 11-5.
With the score tied at 2-2, the teams headed into a DreamBreaker—a singles rotation format where each player takes turns.
| Match | Las Vegas Night Owls | vs | California Black Bears | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s Doubles | Brooke Buckner / Chao Yi Wang | vs | Layne Sleeth / Lina Padegimaite | 9-11 |
| Men’s Doubles | Pablo Tellez / James Delgado | vs | Juan Benitez / Michael Loyd | 9-11 |
| Mixed Doubles 1 | Chao Yi Wang / Pablo Tellez | vs | Layne Sleeth / Michael Loyd | 11-8 |
| Mixed Doubles 2 | Brooke Buckner / James Delgado | vs | Lina Padegimaite / Juan Benitez | 11-5 |
| DreamBreaker | Pablo Tellez / James Delgado / Brooke Buckner / Chao Yi Wang | vs | Michael Loyd / Juan Benitez / Layne Sleeth / Lina Padegimaite | 21-14 |
DreamBreaker Decides the Winner
Las Vegas dominated the DreamBreaker. Pablo Tellez, James Delgado, Brooke Buckner, and Chao Yi Wang combined efforts to score 21 points against California’s lineup of Michael Loyd, Juan Benitez, Layne Sleeth, and Lina Padegimaite, who only managed 14.
This final performance earned the Las Vegas Night Owls their third win of the tournament.
Tournament Impact
With this win, the Las Vegas Night Owls remain undefeated at 3-0 and are in a strong position in the Challenger bracket. The California Black Bears, now 2-1, will look to bounce back in upcoming matches.
Both teams showed resilience and skill, and the match highlighted the competitive spirit of this mid-season tournament.
News in Brief: Las Vegas Night Owls DreamBreaker Win
The Las Vegas Night Owls beat the California Black Bears 3-2 at the Edward Jones MLP Mid-Season Tournament in Grand Rapids. The match ended in a 21-14 DreamBreaker win for Las Vegas. The Night Owls now hold a 3-0 record, while California drops to 2-1 in the Challenger bracket.
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