New Jersey Sweeps Columbus as St. Louis Advances to MLP Columbus Final
# New Jersey Came to Columbus to Settle a Score — And They Absolutely Did
**MLP Columbus 2026 | Day 3 | Pickle & Chill, Columbus, Ohio**
Some thought Columbus was sacred ground.
Home of champions. A temple of professional pickleball. The place where the Sliders make visiting teams regret showing up.
On Saturday, the New Jersey 5s walked into the venue, looked the hometown favorites straight in the eye, and reminded everyone — with remarkable poise and zero apologies — that revenge is a very real thing.
The final score was 4-0.
No drama. No DreamBreaker. Just dominance.
## The Sweep Nobody in Columbus Wanted to See
Women's doubles: 11-3. Men's doubles: 11-8. Mixed #1: 11-1. Mixed #2: 11-7.
If those numbers don't tell the story, here's the translation:
New Jersey didn't just win — they won with the calm confidence of a team that already knew the ending before stepping onto the court.
The Sliders — defending champions, crowd favorites, and now reunited with Parris Todd — simply had no answer for the 5s machine.
Anna Leigh Waters was, as she so often is, at the center of it all.
Not the kind of center that shouts or celebrates every point. The kind that quietly shows up when the match matters most and somehow makes everything look far easier than it should.
After the match, she acknowledged what the win meant:
*"It feels amazing... by the end, we won over part of the crowd."*
Yes, Anna. Part of the crowd.
The other part is probably still in shock.
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Then there was Noe Khlif, who played as if he had discovered something the rest of the field hadn't.
His performance in mixed doubles was on another level, and he admitted it with the kind of disarming honesty that only comes from someone who has just experienced something special:
*"Amazing. I felt really good, like I was somewhere else today. It was incredible."*
There isn't a better way to put it.
## St. Louis Doesn't Attend Parties — They Just Win Their Own
While New Jersey handled business in Pool A, the St. Louis Shock took care of Pool B with the same surgical precision that has become their trademark.
The Palm Beach Royals — the new team, the hype team, the one with the headline-grabbing signings — gave them a battle.
More of a battle than many expected, if we're being honest.
The Royals captured Mixed #1 with an 11-8 victory that briefly made it feel like something big might be brewing.
That feeling lasted exactly until Mixed #2, when St. Louis closed it out 11-7 and brought the movie to an abrupt ending.
Final result: 3-1 for the Shock.
Kate Fahey summed it up with the calmness of someone who's been here many times before:
*"It's always nice not having to go to a DreamBreaker."*
Touché, Kate.
## Palm Beach: The Surprise Nobody Will Underestimate Twice
Let's be fair to the Royals.
They arrived in Columbus as the most closely watched expansion team of the season.
With Tyson McGuffin, Dekel Bar, and Sofia Sewing on the roster, expectations were as high as the pressure.
And they responded.
They didn't win Pool B.
They won't be playing for the title on Sunday.
But they showed something more valuable than a result: character.
A brand-new team, competing in only its second event as a franchise, going toe-to-toe with the St. Louis Shock.
That's no small accomplishment.
## What's Next: Super Sunday
Sunday is decision day.
And the main event is impossible to ignore:
**New Jersey 5s vs. St. Louis Shock** — a showdown for the event title and 25 standings points that could significantly impact the overall race.
On one side, the 5s arrive red hot, full of confidence, with Anna Leigh Waters looking like she's already in playoff mode before the playoffs have even started.
On the other side stands St. Louis — the team that doesn't get emotional, doesn't get distracted, and doesn't give away anything.
There may not be a clear favorite.
There is, however, a guarantee of great theater.
# New Jersey Came to Columbus to Settle a Score — And They Absolutely Did
**MLP Columbus 2026 | Day 3 | Pickle & Chill, Columbus, Ohio**
Some thought Columbus was sacred ground.
Home of champions. A temple of professional pickleball. The place where the Sliders make visiting teams regret showing up.
On Saturday, the New Jersey 5s walked into the venue, looked the hometown favorites straight in the eye, and reminded everyone — with remarkable poise and zero apologies — that revenge is a very real thing.
The final score was 4-0.
No drama. No DreamBreaker. Just dominance.
## The Sweep Nobody in Columbus Wanted to See
Women's doubles: 11-3. Men's doubles: 11-8. Mixed #1: 11-1. Mixed #2: 11-7.
If those numbers don't tell the story, here's the translation:
New Jersey didn't just win — they won with the calm confidence of a team that already knew the ending before stepping onto the court.
The Sliders — defending champions, crowd favorites, and now reunited with Parris Todd — simply had no answer for the 5s machine.
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Anna Leigh Waters was, as she so often is, at the center of it all.
Not the kind of center that shouts or celebrates every point. The kind that quietly shows up when the match matters most and somehow makes everything look far easier than it should.
After the match, she acknowledged what the win meant:
*"It feels amazing... by the end, we won over part of the crowd."*
Yes, Anna. Part of the crowd.
The other part is probably still in shock.
LOVE PICKLEBALL?
Get Dink Authority Magazine updates, new editions, pro stories and event alerts.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.
Then there was Noe Khlif, who played as if he had discovered something the rest of the field hadn't.
His performance in mixed doubles was on another level, and he admitted it with the kind of disarming honesty that only comes from someone who has just experienced something special:
*"Amazing. I felt really good, like I was somewhere else today. It was incredible."*
There isn't a better way to put it.
## St. Louis Doesn't Attend Parties — They Just Win Their Own
While New Jersey handled business in Pool A, the St. Louis Shock took care of Pool B with the same surgical precision that has become their trademark.
The Palm Beach Royals — the new team, the hype team, the one with the headline-grabbing signings — gave them a battle.
More of a battle than many expected, if we're being honest.
The Royals captured Mixed #1 with an 11-8 victory that briefly made it feel like something big might be brewing.
That feeling lasted exactly until Mixed #2, when St. Louis closed it out 11-7 and brought the movie to an abrupt ending.
Final result: 3-1 for the Shock.
Kate Fahey summed it up with the calmness of someone who's been here many times before:
*"It's always nice not having to go to a DreamBreaker."*
Touché, Kate.
## Palm Beach: The Surprise Nobody Will Underestimate Twice
Let's be fair to the Royals.
They arrived in Columbus as the most closely watched expansion team of the season.
With Tyson McGuffin, Dekel Bar, and Sofia Sewing on the roster, expectations were as high as the pressure.
And they responded.
They didn't win Pool B.
They won't be playing for the title on Sunday.
But they showed something more valuable than a result: character.
A brand-new team, competing in only its second event as a franchise, going toe-to-toe with the St. Louis Shock.
That's no small accomplishment.
## What's Next: Super Sunday
Sunday is decision day.
And the main event is impossible to ignore:
**New Jersey 5s vs. St. Louis Shock** — a showdown for the event title and 25 standings points that could significantly impact the overall race.
On one side, the 5s arrive red hot, full of confidence, with Anna Leigh Waters looking like she's already in playoff mode before the playoffs have even started.
On the other side stands St. Louis — the team that doesn't get emotional, doesn't get distracted, and doesn't give away anything.
There may not be a clear favorite.
There is, however, a guarantee of great theater.
