California Black Bears vs Florida Smash: The California Black Bears earned their third win of the season on Thursday, August 1, 2025, after defeating the Florida Smash 3-1 in a Challenger Level match at The Picklr MLP Salt Lake City in Kaysville, Utah. The win came without needing a DreamBreaker.
Strong doubles start from California
The California Black Bears opened the match with back-to-back wins in doubles play. In women’s doubles, Layne Sleeth and Lina Padegimaite controlled the pace and defeated Paula Rives and Martina Frantova 11-7.
The men followed up with another solid performance. Martin Emmrich and Michael Loyd beat Cason Campbell and Travis Rettenmaier, also by a score of 11-7, giving California an early 2-0 lead.
Florida Smash fights back
In mixed doubles game one, Travis Rettenmaier and Paula Rives brought Florida Smash back into the match with a close 12-10 victory over Lina Padegimaite and Martin Emmrich.
The Black Bears responded quickly. Layne Sleeth and Michael Loyd dominated the second mixed doubles match, cruising past Cason Campbell and Martina Frantova 11-3 to secure the overall win at 3-1.
| MATCH | California Black Bears | VS | Florida Smash | SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s Doubles | Layne Sleeth / Lina Padegimaite | VS | Paula Rives / Martina Frantova | 11-7 |
| Men’s Doubles | Martin Emmrich / Michael Loyd | VS | Cason Campbell / Travis Rettenmaier | 11-7 |
| Mixed Doubles 1 | Lina Padegimaite / Martin Emmrich | VS | Travis Rettenmaier / Paula Rives | 10-12 |
| Mixed Doubles 2 | Layne Sleeth / Michael Loyd | VS | Cason Campbell / Martina Frantova | 11-3 |
| Dreambreaker | Lina Padegimaite / Martin Emmrich / Layne Sleeth / Michael Loyd | VS | Travis Rettenmaier / Paula Rives / Cason Campbell / Martina Frantova | 0-0 |
No Dreambreaker needed
With three wins already in hand, the California Black Bears didn’t need to go to a Dreambreaker. Their balanced performance across all categories gave them full control of the match from start to finish.
What this means
The California Black Bears now sit at three wins, moving closer to a playoff spot. For the Florida Smash, now with only one win, the pressure grows to perform in upcoming matches if they hope to stay in the postseason race.
News in Brief: California Black Bears vs Florida Smash
The California Black Bears beat the Florida Smash 3-1 at MLP Salt Lake City. They won both doubles matches and clinched the win with a strong mixed doubles finish. Florida managed one win but couldn’t force a DreamBreaker. California now has three wins this season, strengthening their playoff push.
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