KAYSVILLE, UT - The Los Angeles Mad Drops closed out Thursday’s action at the Vulcan MLP Salt Lake City by Margaritaville with a 4-0 sweep of the Dallas Flash.

We’ll talk about what transpired on court in a bit, but let’s first put this match into context: 

• Dallas was just a few hours removed from an impressive 3-1 victory over the previously undefeated New Jersey 5s.
• Los Angeles was without Thomas Wilson, the No. 10 overall selection in April’s draft, and picked up Blaine Hovenier to sub in.
• The first matchup between these two teams back in May went to the Mad Drops in a DreamBreaker, when both teams were at full strength. 

Thus, a sweep in favor of Los Angeles seemed like one of the least likely outcomes going into the match.

But that’s exactly what happened.

Catherine Parenteau and Jade Kawamoto came out and set the tone, dominating Jorja Johnson and Hurricane Tyra Black 25-12 to earn the women’s doubles point.

That strong start bled over into the men’s doubles match for Los Angeles, as Hovenier and Hunter Johnson downed JW Johnson and Augie Ge 25-21 in one of the biggest upsets of the season.

There was no let up from the Mad Drops in mixed.

Parenteau and Hovenier eased past Black and Ge to secure the victory, while Kawamoto and Johnson finished the rout with a 25-23 win over Jorja and JW Johnson.

It was a monumental bounce back effort for Los Angeles after an event-opening loss to the AZ Drive a few hours before.     

“We had a tough match against Arizona earlier in the day, so the team came up with a plan of what we all were gonna do better, and I think we followed that really well,” Hovenier explained. “We just thought we had more to show and more to play for than what we showed in that first match.”

The result is especially meaningful for Hovenier, as it gave the former UCLA and SMU tennis standout his first wins in Major League Pickleball competition.

He gave all the credit to Parenteau and Johnson, who he shared the court with.

“The biggest thing for me is that I had great partners who are truly veterans of the game,” he said. “[Catherine and Hunter] really know what they’re doing, and they were able to keep me calm. They make me look better than I am, so all credit to them.”

Both Los Angeles and Dallas will be back in action on Friday at The Picklr Kaysville. The Mad Drops will face the Carolina Pickleball Club and the Utah Black Diamonds, while the Flash will square off against the Orlando Squeeze and Carolina.