Nashville Chefs Pickleball Playoff Wins: The Nashville Chefs advanced in the Toray Major League Pickleball Playoffs on Saturday, August 16, with back-to-back victories over the California Black Bears. The Premier Level quarterfinal matches took place at Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego, California.
First Match: Nashville in Full Control
The Nashville Chefs opened strong with a 3-0 sweep. In women’s doubles, Genie Erokhina and Ewa Radzikowska defeated Layne Sleeth and Lina Padegimaite 11-5. Marshall Brown and Anderson Scarpa followed with another 11-5 win in men’s doubles against Martin Emmrich and Michael Loyd.
The Chefs closed the match quickly in mixed doubles. Genie Erokhina and Anderson Scarpa beat Layne Sleeth and Michael Loyd 11-2, locking in the win. With the series decided, the remaining matches were not needed, giving Nashville a clean 3-0 victory.
| Matchs | Nashville Chefs | VS | California Black Bears | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s Doubles | Genie Erokhina / Ewa Radzikowska | VS | Layne Sleeth / Lina Padegimaite | 11–5 |
| Men’s Doubles | Marshall Brown / Anderson Scarpa | VS | Martin Emmrich / Michael Loyd | 11–5 |
| Mixed Doubles 1 | Genie Erokhina / Anderson Scarpa | VS | Layne Sleeth / Michael Loyd | 11–2 |
| Mixed Doubles 2 | Ewa Radzikowska / Marshall Brown | VS | Lina Padegimaite / Martin Emmrich | 0–0 |
| DreamBreaker | Marshall Brown / Anderson Scarpa / Ewa Radzikowska / Genie Erokhina | VS | Michael Loyd / Martin Emmrich / Lina Padegimaite / Layne Sleeth | 0–0 |
Second Match: Black Bears Fight Back
In the second contest, the California Black Bears put up a stronger fight but fell 3-1. Genie Erokhina and Ewa Radzikowska again opened with an 11-5 win in women’s doubles over Layne Sleeth and Lina Padegimaite.
The Black Bears answered in men’s doubles, as Martin Emmrich and Michael Loyd defeated Anderson Scarpa and Marshall Brown 11-5. Nashville recovered in mixed doubles, where Genie Erokhina and Anderson Scarpa topped Layne Sleeth and Michael Loyd 11-5.
The decisive fourth game came down to the wire. Ewa Radzikowska and Marshall Brown edged Lina Padegimaite and Martin Emmrich 12-10, sealing a 3-1 victory for the Chefs.
| Matchs | Nashville Chefs | VS | California Black Bears | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s Doubles | Ewa Radzikowska / Genie Erokhina | VS | Layne Sleeth / Lina Padegimaite | 11–5 |
| Men’s Doubles | Anderson Scarpa / Marshall Brown | VS | Martin Emmrich / Michael Loyd | 5–11 |
| Mixed Doubles 1 | Genie Erokhina / Anderson Scarpa | VS | Layne Sleeth / Michael Loyd | 11–5 |
| Mixed Doubles 2 | Ewa Radzikowska / Marshall Brown | VS | Lina Padegimaite / Martin Emmrich | 12–10 |
| DreamBreaker | Marshall Brown / Anderson Scarpa / Ewa Radzikowska / Genie Erokhina | VS | Michael Loyd / Martin Emmrich / Lina Padegimaite / Layne Sleeth | 0–0 |
What the Wins Mean
The two victories highlighted the teamwork of Genie Erokhina, Ewa Radzikowska, Anderson Scarpa, and Marshall Brown. Their strong play in both doubles formats helped secure the Chefs’ spot in the next playoff round. For the California Black Bears, led by Layne Sleeth, Lina Padegimaite, Martin Emmrich, and Michael Loyd, the defeats ended their postseason hopes.
News in Brief: Nashville Chefs Pickleball Playoff Wins
The Nashville Chefs beat the California Black Bears twice in the MLP quarterfinals in San Diego. Nashville swept the first match 3-0 and won the second 3-1. Genie Erokhina, Ewa Radzikowska, Anderson Scarpa, and Marshall Brown led the Chefs to advance, while the Black Bears were eliminated from the playoffs.
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