The Las Vegas Night Owls delivered one of the most dramatic wins of the MLP Challenger season, defeating the Nashville Chefs 3–2 in a nail-biting match that came down to a Dreambreaker shootout. With both teams trading blows through regulation play, it was Las Vegas who held their nerve in the pressure moments, winning the singles tiebreak 22–20 to complete a gutsy performance.
The July 11 matchup offered everything fans love about MLP: elite shot-making, back-and-forth momentum, and a Dreambreaker finale that could’ve gone either way.
Night Owls Set the Tone Early in Women’s Doubles
The day kicked off with women’s doubles, where Brooke Buckner and Chao Yi Wang of Las Vegas faced off against Michelle Esquivel and Ewa Radzikowska from Nashville. It was a steady and tactical performance from the Night Owls, who executed well at the kitchen and capitalized on unforced errors.
Buckner’s aggressive poaching and Wang’s smooth resets were key in their 11–7 win, putting Las Vegas ahead 1–0.
Nashville Answers with a Statement in Men’s Doubles
The Chefs wasted no time responding. In men’s doubles, Marshall Brown and Anderson Scarpa came out firing and delivered one of the most dominant performances of the day, taking down Pablo Tellez and James Delgado 11–3.
Brown and Scarpa overwhelmed the Night Owls with pace and precision, barely giving up service opportunities while controlling the net. The win tied the match 1–1 and sent a message that Nashville wasn’t going down quietly.
Mixed Doubles Delivers the Drama
With the match tied, both mixed doubles contests proved to be hard-fought.
In Mixed Doubles 1, Las Vegas turned to Pablo Tellez and Chao Yi Wang, who edged out Michelle Esquivel and Marshall Brown in a tightly contested 11–9 battle. Tellez brought the firepower, and Wang remained composed in the middle of the court, allowing the Night Owls to retake the lead at 2–1.
Nashville didn’t blink. In Mixed Doubles 2, Ewa Radzikowska and Anderson Scarpa came through with clutch play to knock off James Delgado and Brooke Buckner 11–7. Radzikowska’s defensive coverage and Scarpa’s smart ball placement kept the Chefs alive, tying the match 2–2 and forcing a Dreambreaker.
Dreambreaker Goes Down to the Wire
The Dreambreaker lived up to the hype.
Both teams rotated through singles matchups in the race to 21. Nashville relied on Brown, Scarpa, Esquivel, and Radzikowska, while Las Vegas countered with Tellez, Delgado, Buckner, and Wang.
The Chefs jumped out early with fast points from Brown and Radzikowska, but Las Vegas clawed back. With the score tied at 20–20, it came down to the smallest of margins. One mishit and a perfectly timed winner from Buckner turned the tide, as the Night Owls clinched a 22–20 Dreambreaker win and a 3–2 team victory.
Key Players
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Chao Yi Wang: Played three matches and remained steady in every moment. Her Dreambreaker composure was vital.
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Pablo Tellez: Bounced back from a tough men’s doubles showing to shine in mixed play and singles.
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Anderson Scarpa: Won both of his doubles matches and nearly pushed Nashville over the finish line.
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Michelle Esquivel: Delivered in mixed play and played a key role in keeping the match competitive throughout.
News in Brief: Las Vegas Night Owls Edge Nashville Chefs in MLP
The Las Vegas Night Owls proved they can win ugly—and win late. Despite dropping two matches and getting outplayed in men’s doubles, their resilience and performance in the Dreambreaker solidified their place as a team to watch in the Challenger ranks.
For the Nashville Chefs, it’s a heartbreaking loss. They were just two points from victory, and their men’s team looked especially sharp. But in MLP, the margins are razor thin, and those final few points can rewrite everything.
This match will sting, but both teams walk away with proof they belong in the thick of the Challenger race.
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