New Jersey 5s Edge Out Texas Ranchers: The New Jersey 5s earned a 3-1 win over the Texas Ranchers on Sunday at Belknap Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan, during the Edward Jones Major League Pickleball Mid-Season Tournament. With this victory, the New Jersey 5s continued their winning streak and improved to three wins in the tournament.
Tight Wins in Gender Doubles
The New Jersey 5s started strong with two close wins in the gender doubles. In women’s doubles, Anna Leigh Waters and Meghan Dizon edged out Kaitlyn Christian and Tina Pisnik 12-10. The men’s doubles was another nail-biter, with Will Howells and Zane Navratil defeating Christian Alshon and Eric Oncins 12-10 to give the 5s a 2-0 lead.
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Ranchers Hit Back, but 5s Finish Strong
The Texas Ranchers responded in mixed doubles. Tina Pisnik and Eric Oncins played a sharp game and crushed Meghan Dizon and Zane Navratil 11-1, keeping the Ranchers’ hopes alive. But the New Jersey 5s bounced right back. Anna Leigh Waters and Will Howells beat Kaitlyn Christian and Christian Alshon 11-7 in the second mixed doubles game, sealing the win for the 5s.
With a 3-1 result, the Dreambreaker tiebreak was not needed.
| Match | New Jersey 5s | vs | Texas Ranchers | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s Doubles | Anna Leigh Waters / Meghan Dizon | vs | Kaitlyn Christian / Tina Pisnik | 12 – 10 |
| Men’s Doubles | Will Howells / Zane Navratil | vs | Christian Alshon / Eric Oncins | 12 – 10 |
| Mixed Doubles 1 | Meghan Dizon / Zane Navratil | vs | Tina Pisnik / Eric Oncins | 1 – 11 |
| Mixed Doubles 2 | Anna Leigh Waters / Will Howells | vs | Kaitlyn Christian / Christian Alshon | 11 – 7 |
| Dreambreaker | Will Howells / Zane Navratil / Anna Leigh Waters / Meghan Dizon | vs | Christian Alshon / Eric Oncins / Kaitlyn Christian / Tina Pisnik | 0 – 0 (Not Played) |
A Statement Win for New Jersey
The New Jersey 5s’ victory over the Texas Ranchers shows their consistency and strength across all pairings. They remain one of the top-performing teams in the tournament and continue to build strong team chemistry.
The Texas Ranchers will aim to regroup and bounce back in upcoming matches.
News in Brief: New Jersey 5s Edge Out Texas Ranchers
The New Jersey 5s defeated the Texas Ranchers 3-1 on Sunday at the Edward Jones MLP Mid-Season Tournament in Grand Rapids. The 5s won both gender doubles and the second mixed doubles match. A Dreambreaker wasn’t required. Texas claimed one point in mixed doubles but couldn’t close the gap.
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