New Jersey 5s Finish Strong At MLP Austin, Top Ranchers In Premier Finale
Source: Pickleball.com
The New Jersey 5s (8-2, 23 points) ended their MLP Austin run with authority, securing a confident 3-1 victory over the Texas Ranchers (5-3, 16 points) on Monday afternoon. After falling short against the Dallas Flash in a DreamBreaker thriller the previous day, the 5s delivered the perfect response in the Premier Level finale at Austin Pickle Ranch.
With playoffs looming on the horizon, Monday’s result was more than just a bounce-back—it was a statement.
“We just needed to have a goldfish memory,” said team captain Zane Navratil. “It's a long, long season. We've got 25 matches apiece, so we're going to win some, we're going to lose some. Nobody’s going to end up with an undefeated season, and we had points left to get today.”
The 5s approached the match with urgency and precision, kicking things off with a decisive win in women's doubles. Anna Leigh Waters and Meghan Dizon found early rhythm and outplayed Tina Pisnik and Etta Tuionetoa 11-5 to give New Jersey the opening edge.
From there, the momentum only built.
Navratil paired with Will Howells in men’s doubles to take down Christian Alshon and Eric Oncins 11-7. The duo’s mix of control and aggression kept the Ranchers’ power at bay, giving New Jersey a 2-0 lead and putting Texas on the defensive.
Mixed doubles sealed the deal. Dizon and Navratil combined effectively to edge past Pisnik and Oncins 11-8, officially clinching the team victory and sending a message to the rest of the league: the 5s are firmly in the title conversation.
Texas did manage to salvage one match late in the tie. Etta Tuionetoa and Christian Alshon outlasted Waters and Howells 11-9 in a tightly contested mixed doubles finale. But the outcome had already been decided—and the 5s had already done their damage.
Match Results – New Jersey 5s vs. Texas Ranchers:
WD: Waters/Dizon (NJ) def. Pisnik/Tuionetoa (TEX) 11-5
MD: Howells/Navratil (NJ) def. Alshon/Oncins (TEX) 11-7
MXD: Dizon/Navratil (NJ) def. Pisnik/Oncins (TEX) 11-8
MXD: Tuionetoa/Alshon (TEX) def. Waters/Howells (NJ) 11-9
The 5s now shift their attention to the remainder of the regular season, where they'll look to maintain momentum heading into the playoff stretch. For the Ranchers, the loss halts a strong run at MLP Austin, but they remain a dangerous squad with plenty of firepower and chemistry heading into the next stop.
As always in Major League Pickleball, it’s about short memories and long seasons—and on Monday, New Jersey proved they know how to respond.
