St. Louis Shock Sweep Ranchers To Close Out MLP Daytona Beach In Style
The St. Louis Shock (13-1, 39 points) closed out their MLP Daytona Beach campaign with a powerful statement, delivering a comprehensive 4-0 sweep over the Texas Ranchers (7-6, 24 points). It was the kind of win that sends a message across the league—and one that reinforces St. Louis' position as a top-tier contender heading into the mid-season break.
The showdown began with a tense women’s doubles match, where Anna Bright and Kate Fahey of the Shock raced to an early 8-3 lead over the Ranchers’ pairing of Etta Tuionetoa and Tina Pisnik. The Ranchers stormed back to level things at 9-9, setting the stage for one of the most tightly contested duels of the weekend. In the end, it was Bright and Fahey who held firm, edging out a 12-10 victory that proved to be a pivotal tone-setter.
Source: Pickleball.com
Bright: “That Win Built Momentum”
Reflecting on the dramatic opening match, Bright acknowledged just how important that first point was in tilting the match’s momentum in their favor.
“I think [Etta and Tina] came out a bit flat and raised their level, and we weren’t really ready for that,” she said. “We were fortunately able to hang on to the lead that we had built, but it was definitely a really, really high-quality match.”
Bright added, “That win built momentum for us that [Hayden Patriquin and Gabe Tardio] carried on into men’s, and it just kind of snowballed for us into mixed.”
Shock Shift Into Overdrive
What followed after the women’s doubles was nothing short of dominance. In men’s doubles and both mixed doubles matchups, the Shock outscored the Ranchers 33-8—an emphatic display of form, focus, and firepower across the board.
Patriquin and Tardio, the Shock’s electric men’s pairing, seized control early and never let up. That same energy carried over into mixed, where St. Louis continued to apply pressure and break down the Ranchers’ defensive structure with smart shot selection and relentless pace.
Daytona Beach Ends With Five Straight Wins For The Shock
After dropping their opening match of the weekend to the Los Angeles Mad Drops, the Shock regrouped with purpose. They rattled off five consecutive victories, all in regulation, and head into the next phase of the season looking every bit like championship material.
With a 5-1 record from Daytona and their top players finding peak form, the Shock will next turn their attention to the Edward Jones MLP Mid-Season Tournament, which runs from July 9–13. Expect them to be one of the most closely watched teams at that event.
Ranchers Aim To Regroup Before Closing Match
As for the Texas Ranchers, their Daytona campaign isn’t quite over. They’ll look to bounce back from this tough loss when they face the SoCal Hard Eights in their final match on Sunday afternoon. While the sweep stings, there’s still time to rediscover rhythm and head into the mid-season break on a positive note.
Takeaway
The St. Louis Shock didn’t just win—they made a statement. With one of the deepest, most disciplined rosters in Major League Pickleball, this team has its sights clearly set on the top. If their Daytona performance is any indication, they may already be there.
