Good-bye February, Hello March! Week 1 of the MLP Unlimited Winter League playoffs got kicked off to a nice spring day!
In the Champions bracket, the Lobsters continued their winning ways and dropped the FInal Four a second time in as many weeks. Rob Schultz and Kim Buffington gave a valiant effort in the second game of their Mixed 1 Doubles against Sharon Miller and Andy Biederman but fell short 22-20, keeping the Lobsters perfect through 6 weeks of play.
The Double D’s stayed hot as well but got pressed hard by Dana Poulsen and Mo Royal but Bryana Witt and Marcie Sullivan dug deep to win 2-1 for their match (19-21, 21-14, 21-11).
And in the hottest contest of the day, the WIZARDS worked their magic and fended off the Honey Badgers in a contest that got decided by the Dreambreaker. The Mixed 2 Doubles with William McCorkle and Jen Buehler v Cathy Bawden and Kevin Masiado was a classic, with the Badgers taking the first game in OT 24-22. Then Cathy and Kevin took game 2, 21-15 and eked out a 22-20 OT win to send them into the Dreambreaker. The WIZARDS stormed out to a 10-2 lead and eventually cruised to a 21-14 victory.
In the Consolation bracket, the Dreambreakers and the Unforced Terrors said, ‘hold my beer’ as both team dismantled their opponents 8-0. For the Dreambreakers, they did this with super subs, Steve and Stacie Pelham, for the absent Don and Julie Seavey, over the Designated Dinkers.
The Unforced Terrors did have a couple of close calls when Sean Donnelly was on the other side of the net for Welcome to the Jungle. In the Men’s Double, he and partner, Scott Hudnall had a very competitive match v Mike Ouellette and Rick Stehno, pushing them to OT in game 1 (won by the Terrors 22-20), and again in the Mixed 2 Doubles with Suzanne Buchman v Mike Ouellette and Lisa Farrell, pressing them into another OT game but again on the short end, 22-20.
The contest between the Net Warriors and Jim & Friends nearly went to the Dreambreaker, too. Maureen Plainfield and Jim Faggiana needed a win against Mike Vacanti and Marlene Milkosky but the pair fell short in the third game of their match, 24-22. The Mixed 1 Doubles also went to a game 3 just to show evenly matched both teams were (Ted Custer and Julie Van Sambeek edged Linda Sacre and Jim Alexander, 21-17, 21-23, 21-16).
Well played, everyone!
Here is the link for the photos: Album-Mar 1 2026
Here is the link to the playlist on YT, including the replay of the livestream from court 4 and footage from courts 3 and 7: Unlimited Winter League W1 Playoffs Mar 1 2026
Livestream Ct 4
Net Warriors v Jim & Friends
- Women’s Doubles G1 (0:19:35) Naureen Plainfield and Linda Sacre v Julie Van Sambeek and Marlene Milkosky
- Men’s Doubles G1 (0:34:53) Jim Alexander and Jim Faggiana v Ted Custer and Mike Vacanti
- Women’s Doubles G2 (0:49:35) Julie Van Sambeek and Marlene Milkosky v Maureen Plainfield and Linda Sacre
- Men’s Doubles G2 (1:05:11) Ted Custer and Mike Vacanti v Jim Alexander and Jim Faggiana
- Mixed 1 Doubles G1 (1:21:17) Linda Sacre and Jim Alexander v Julie Van Sambeek and Ted Custer
- Mixed 2 Doubles G1 (1:36:23) Maureen Plainfield and Jim Faggiana v Marlene Milkosky and Mike Vacanti
- Mixed 1 Doubles G2 (1:50:31) Julie Van Sambeek and Ted Custer v Linda Sacre and Jim Alexander
- Mixed 2 Doubles G2 (not captured-played on Ct 7)
- Mixed 1 Doubles G3 (2:09:39) Linda Sacre and Jim Alexander v Julie Van Sambeek and Ted Custer
- Mixed 2 Doubles G3 (2:25:37) Maureen Plainfield and Jim Faggiana v Marlene Miilkosky and Mike Vacanti
Honey Badgers v WIZARDS
- Dreambreaker (2:45:20) Cathy Bawden (WIZ) serving to William McCorkle (HB) at 16-12 Steve Ousler (WIZ) and Jodi Schaefer (HB) finish the match
GoPro Ct 3
Final Four v The Lobsters
- Women’s Doubles (0:00:00) Sharon Miller and Lisa Diester v Mary Ellen Dowsett and Kim Buffington
- Men’s Doubles (0:26:23) Todd McLain and Andy Biederman v Rob Schultz and Danny Dowsett
- Mixed 1 Doubles (0:57:35) Sharon Miller and Andy Biederman v Rob Schultz and Kim Buffington
- Mixed 2 Doubles (1:27:46) Lisa Diester and Todd McLain v Mary Ellen Dowsett and Danny Dowsett
GoPro Ct 7
Welcome to the Jungle v Unforced Terrors
- Women’s Doubles G1 (0:00:00) Lisa Farrell and Deb Ryan v Mandy Berg and Suzanne Buchman
- Men’s Doubles G1 (0:13:39) Mike Ouellette and Rich Stehno v Sean Donnelly and Scott Hudnall
- Women’s Doubles G2 (0:26:31) Mandy Berg and Suzanne Buchman v Lisa Farrell and Deb Ryan
- Men’s Doubles G2 (0:41:54) Sean Donnelly and Scott Hudnall v Mike Ouellette and Rich Stehno
- Mixed 1 Doubles (0:54:54) Deb Ryan and Rick Stehno v Mandy Berg and Scott Hudnall
- Mixed 2 Doubles (1:25:44) Lisa Farrell and Mike Ouellette v Suzanne Buchman and Sean Donnelly