California Black Bears Pickleball Playoff Sweep: The California Black Bears defeated the Florida Smash 3–0 at the 2025 Toray MLP Playoffs in San Diego, California. The match took place on August 16 at the Barnes Tennis Center, where the Black Bears controlled play from start to finish.
Early Control in Doubles Matches
The competition began with women’s doubles. Layne Sleeth and Lina Padegimaite led the California Black Bears to a 11–5 victory against Paula Rives and Martina Frantova of the Florida Smash.
In the men’s doubles, Martin Emmrich and Michael Loyd kept the momentum alive for the Black Bears. They topped Cason Campbell and Travis Rettenmaier 11–2.
Mixed Doubles Performance
The first mixed doubles match saw Paula Rives and Cason Campbell of the Florida Smash put up a fight. However, they fell short 11–6 against Layne Sleeth and Michael Loyd.
In the second mixed doubles, Martina Frantova and Travis Rettenmaier faced Lina Padegimaite and Martin Emmrich. The score was tied at 0–0 before play ended.
Dreambreaker Decider
The Dreambreaker match featured Cason Campbell, Travis Rettenmaier, Martina Frantova, and Paula Rives for the Florida Smash against Michael Loyd, Martin Emmrich, Lina Padegimaite, and Layne Sleeth for the California Black Bears. The score also stood at 0–0, leaving the Black Bears’ sweep intact with a decisive 3–0 match victory.
| Match | Florida Smash (Players) | VS | California Black Bears (Players) | Score |
|---|
| Women’s Doubles | Paula Rives / Martina Frantova | vs | Layne Sleeth / Lina Padegimaite | 5–11 |
| Men’s Doubles | Cason Campbell / Travis Rettenmaier | vs | Martin Emmrich / Michael Loyd | 2–11 |
| Mixed Doubles 1 | Paula Rives / Cason Campbell | vs | Layne Sleeth / Michael Loyd | 6–11 |
| Mixed Doubles 2 | Martina Frantova / Travis Rettenmaier | vs | Lina Padegimaite / Martin Emmrich | 0–0 |
| Dreambreaker | Campbell / Rettenmaier / Frantova / Rives | vs | Loyd / Emmrich / Padegimaite / Sleeth | 0–0 |
What It Means
The win gives the California Black Bears strong momentum as they continue their playoff run. For the Florida Smash, the loss adds to a difficult season, as they struggled to earn points in team play.
News in Brief: California Black Bears Pickleball Playoff Sweep
The California Black Bears beat the Florida Smash 3–0 at the 2025 Toray MLP Playoffs in San Diego. The Black Bears won women’s doubles, men’s doubles, and the first mixed doubles. Two matches were left unfinished, but the Black Bears secured a dominant series victory to advance further.
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