St. Louis Shock Claims Title with Dominant Victory Over New Jersey 5s

St. Louis Shock Triumphs in MLP Mid-Season Tournament

The St. Louis Shock delivered a stunning performance, defeating the New Jersey 5s 3-0 in the final of the MLP Mid-Season Tournament held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on July 12. This victory not only secured the title for the Shock but also allowed them to equal New Jersey at the top of the MLP standings, with both teams now boasting 93 points.

In front of a packed audience at Belknap Park, the Shock avenged their earlier defeat to New Jersey during the MLP event in Columbus back in May. The first breakthrough came in the women's doubles, where Anna Bright and Kate Fahey triumphed over Anna Leigh Waters and Jorja Johnson with a score of 11-6, marking the first loss of the season for the latter duo, who had previously enjoyed a 25-match winning streak.

Effective Game Strategy

Reflecting on their success, Fahey remarked, "Jorja and Anna Leigh are undoubtedly the top women's team in MLP, but we executed our game plan exceptionally well. We aimed to avoid hitting the ball to Anna Leigh, which was a crucial part of our strategy." This approach proved effective as they focused their attacks on Johnson, minimizing Waters' involvement in the match.

Bright added, "It requires discipline and patience, and perhaps a bit of humility to stick to our game plan. We were aware of our strategy, but it worked effectively." St. Louis maintained their momentum into the men's doubles, where Hayden Patriquin and Gabe Tardio outplayed Noe Khlif and Will Howells with an 11-3 victory, extending their unbeaten partnership to nine matches. Bright then teamed up with Patriquin in the mixed doubles, sealing the title with an 11-8 win over Waters and Khlif, a year after finishing as runners-up to the Dallas Flash in the same tournament.

Columbus Sliders Secure Third Place

This win awarded St. Louis 10 points in the standings, while New Jersey received six. Both teams now lead the MLP standings with 93 points, but St. Louis holds the tiebreaker due to a higher win rate of 91 percent compared to New Jersey's 86 percent. Earlier, the Columbus Sliders claimed third place by defeating the Los Angeles Mad Drops 3-1, earning four points in the standings. The regular MLP season will continue with the MLP San Diego event from July 16-19 at the Barnes Tennis Centre in Southern California.