MESA, AZ - For the second time on Thursday, a first-time pairing walked away from its debut match with a win.

But the route Connor Garnett and DJ Young took to emerge victorious was considerably different from what we saw from Jessie Irvine and Christian Alshon earlier.

The No. 7 seeds came out firing on all cylinders in their match against No. 20 seeds CJ Klinger and Jaume Martinez Vich to take Game 1, but their opponents quickly responded to force a decider.

Both teams had runs of their own and chances to take control of the final game, but Garnett and Young eventually found themselves tied with their opponents 8-8.

Some captivating rallies featuring rapid hands battles ensued, but big plays from Garnett on the left side helped the first-time pairing take Game 3 12-10.

It can be difficult to excel in those tight moments with a new partner, but consistent positive communication between Garnett and Young allowed them to stay engaged even when the stakes were at their highest.

“I think communication is a big thing,” Young shared. “We were able to pump each other up and keep each other going when we needed it.”

That’s what it took for the tandem to reach Friday’s quarterfinal round, where they’ll face No. 2 seeds JW Johnson and Dylan Frazier.