Los Angeles Mad Drops Semifinal Victory: The Los Angeles Mad Drops advanced to the semifinals of the DoorDash MLP Finals, powered by Toray, after defeating the Brooklyn Pickleball Team on Sunday afternoon in San Diego, California. The Mad Drops pulled off the first upset of the weekend by seeding, closing out their quarterfinal series 3-1 in regulation.
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Match Summary
Brooklyn opened the series with a win in women’s doubles. Rachel Rohrabacher and Jackie Kawamoto beat Catherine Parenteau and Jade Kawamoto 11-8 to give their team an early edge.
Los Angeles answered quickly. Ben Johns and Hunter Johnson won the men’s doubles match 11-4 over Riley Newman and Dekel Bar. From there, the Mad Drops kept control. Catherine Parenteau and Ben Johns secured mixed doubles 1 with an 11-5 victory, while Jade Kawamoto and Hunter Johnson sealed the series with an 11-7 win in mixed doubles 2.
The match did not reach a DreamBreaker, as Los Angeles clinched the series before one was needed.
| Matches | Los Angeles Mad Drops | vs | Brooklyn Pickleball Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s Doubles | Catherine Parenteau / Jade Kawamoto | vs | Rachel Rohrabacher / Jackie Kawamoto | 8–11 |
| Men’s Doubles | Ben Johns / Hunter Johnson | vs | Riley Newman / Dekel Bar | 11-4 |
| Mixed Doubles 1 | Catherine Parenteau / Ben Johns | vs | Rachel Rohrabacher / Dekel Bar | 11-5 |
| Mixed Doubles 2 | Jade Kawamoto / Hunter Johnson | vs | Jackie Kawamoto / Riley Newman | 11-7 |
| DreamBreaker | Hunter Johnson / Ben Johns / Catherine Parenteau / Jade Kawamoto | vs | Dekel Bar / Riley Newman / Rachel Rohrabacher / Jackie Kawamoto | 0–0 |
Player Reaction
Hunter Johnson, who partnered with Jade Kawamoto to close out the final game, spoke about the team’s mindset heading into New York City.
“We’re really rolling as a team,”. “We’re having fun—that’s the Mad Drops way—so I’m excited to go to the Big Apple and see what we can do there.”(Hunter Johnson)
What Comes Next
With the win, Los Angeles joined the St. Louis Shock as the first two Premier Level teams to book semifinal spots. The Dallas Flash and Columbus Sliders are still battling in their deciding match, which will determine the last semifinalist. The Mad Drops will now prepare for tougher challenges as the playoff competition intensifies.
News in Brief: Los Angeles Mad Drops Semifinal Victory
The Los Angeles Mad Drops beat the Brooklyn Pickleball Team 3-1 on Sunday to advance to the DoorDash MLP Finals in New York City. After dropping women’s doubles, Los Angeles won three straight matches. Hunter Johnson praised the team’s confidence as they prepare for the semifinals.
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