D.C. Pickleball Team MLP St. Louis Victory: The D.C. Pickleball Team won the Major League Pickleball (MLP) St. Louis Final on Sunday at Chaifetz Arena after a full day of seven intense matches. They defeated the California Black Bears in a close contest, finishing with a 3-2 match record and clinching the win in the DreamBreaker.
Intense Competition at Chaifetz Arena
The action-packed final took place across two courts—Championship Court and Grandstand Court. The event drew fans from all over to watch top pickleball players compete for victory. The D.C. Pickleball Team and the California Black Bears both came into the final with strong performances, making for a highly anticipated showdown.
Women’s Doubles: Early Lead for California
The day started with the women’s doubles match, where Layne Sleeth and Lina Padegimaite of the California Black Bears played strong against Christa Gecheva and Andrea Koop of the D.C. Pickleball Team. Sleeth and Padegimaite won the match 11-7, giving California an early 1-0 lead.
Men’s Doubles: D.C. Strikes Back
The men’s doubles match saw Daniel De la Rosa and Rafa Hewett from the D.C. Pickleball Team dominate against Michael Loyd and Juan Benitez. With a final score of 11-5, the match tied the overall team score at 1-1.
Mixed Doubles 1: D.C. Gains the Lead
In the first mixed doubles match, Daniel De la Rosa teamed up with Christa Gecheva. They played against Lina Padegimaite and Juan Benitez and won with a commanding 11-4 score. This victory pushed the D.C. Pickleball Team ahead, leading 2-1 in match wins.
Mixed Doubles 2: California Levels the Score
The second mixed doubles match featured Layne Sleeth and Michael Loyd for California against Rafa Hewett and Andrea Koop for D.C. Sleeth and Loyd kept California in the game by winning 11-5. The win tied the match series at 2-2, setting up a dramatic finish.
| Match | D.C. Pickleball Team | vs | California Black Bears | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s Doubles | Christa Gecheva / Andrea Koop | vs | Layne Sleeth / Lina Padegimaite | 7 – 11 |
| Men’s Doubles | Daniel De la Rosa / Rafa Hewett | vs | Michael Loyd / Juan Benitez | 11 – 5 |
| Mixed Doubles 1 | Lina Padegimaite / Juan Benitez | vs | Daniel De la Rosa / Christa Gecheva | 4 – 11 |
| Mixed Doubles 2 | Layne Sleeth / Michael Loyd | vs | Rafa Hewett / Andrea Koop | 11 – 5 |
| Dreambreaker | Michael Loyd / Juan Benitez / Lina Padegimaite / Layne Sleeth | vs | Rafa Hewett / Daniel De la Rosa / Andrea Koop / Christa Gecheva | 22 – 20 |
DreamBreaker: D.C. Wins It All
With the series tied, the final outcome came down to the DreamBreaker—a special match where each player rotates in singles play. The California Black Bears team included Michael Loyd, Juan Benitez, Lina Padegimaite, and Layne Sleeth. The D.C. Pickleball Team featured Rafa Hewett, Daniel De la Rosa, Andrea Koop, and Christa Gecheva.
The match was tight and went down to the wire, but the D.C. Pickleball Team held on to win 22-20 in the DreamBreaker, securing the championship victory.
Big Win for D.C. Pickleball Team
This win adds another strong result for the D.C. Pickleball Team, who showed strong teamwork and skill under pressure. The close nature of the matches and the dramatic DreamBreaker made this final a highlight of the MLP season. Fans will now look ahead to the next events, with both teams proving they are strong title contenders.
News in Brief: D.C. Pickleball Team MLP St. Louis Victory
The D.C. Pickleball Team won the MLP St. Louis Final at Chaifetz Arena on Sunday by defeating the California Black Bears in a seven-match battle, ending with a 22-20 DreamBreaker victory. The win came after both teams tied 2-2 in earlier doubles and mixed doubles matches.
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