Columbus Sliders DreamBreaker Victory: The Columbus Sliders stunned the defending champion Dallas Flash on Sunday, winning their Premier Level quarterfinal series in a thrilling DreamBreaker at the Toray MLP Playoffs in San Diego, California. CJ Klinger sealed the 21-18 victory with late singles heroics, sending Columbus to the DoorDash MLP Finals, powered by Toray, in New York City.
Series Breakdown
The matchup between Columbus and Dallas had already featured two DreamBreakers, so it was no surprise the deciding contest also went the distance.
The Sliders jumped ahead early when Lea Jansen and Parris Todd defeated Jorja Johnson and Tyra Black 11-4 in women’s doubles. Andrei Daescu and CJ Klinger then extended the lead with an 11-4 win over JW Johnson and Augie Ge in men’s doubles, giving Columbus a 2-0 advantage.
Dallas responded with resilience. Tyra Black and Augie Ge won the first mixed doubles, followed by Jorja Johnson and JW Johnson taking the second. That comeback tied the series and forced a DreamBreaker singles contest.
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Klinger’s Decisive Moment
With the score locked at 18, both teams turned to their left-handed players. CJ Klinger represented Columbus, while Augie Ge stepped up for Dallas. Klinger, who had not played singles on the PPA Tour since 2023, delivered under pressure. He scored three straight points, finishing with a backhand winner down the line to clinch the win.
“It was a great team effort,”. “I went 2-6 in the earlier rotations, so I wasn’t feeling good going back out there, but I was glad I stepped up when it mattered.”(CJ Klinger)
Former pro Zane Navratil praised the series on social media, calling it “the best MLP series of all time so far.”
Voices from the Team
Andrei Daescu, who finished the series with a 5-1 doubles record, highlighted what lies ahead. He said,
“The margins are really small. Everybody’s really good, but we’re really good as well. We just have to continue to battle through adversity. It’s a roller coaster ride.
That’s what makes it fun, especially when you come out on top. We learned for sure that we have the skill to compete with anybody. We just took out the champions, and we learned that we have the skills and strength to battle.”
What’s Next
The Columbus Sliders join the St. Louis Shock, New Jersey 5s, and Los Angeles Mad Drops in the Premier Level semifinals at the DoorDash MLP Finals in New York City. The upset win showed Columbus has both the talent and determination to challenge for the championship.
News in Brief: Columbus Sliders DreamBreaker Victory
The Columbus Sliders upset the Dallas Flash in a DreamBreaker to advance to the DoorDash MLP Finals in New York City. CJ Klinger sealed the win with three late singles points. Andrei Daescu praised the team’s resilience as Columbus joined the semifinal lineup with St. Louis, New Jersey, and Los Angeles.
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