ROARING FORK BROADCASTING COMPANY
Monday’s Motherlode finale wasn’t for the fans of the underdog.
In both the men’s and women’s doubles sand open, the seeming favorites walked away with some small surfboard-shaped trophies as champions.
On the women’s side, Lena Sokolowski won her fourth consecutive Motherlode open title, with partner Katie Pyles joining for the third of those victories. In their five matches they did not lose a set, though Lindsey Jin and Jordyn Moody had them a little on the ropes early in the second set of the finals, going up 7-2 early.
Still, the tall Ukrainian and her colleague out of Grand Canyon University walked away with the hardware, coming back to win the set 21-19.
“It’s just great. We love the place, perfect end of summer,” Sokolowski said. “I think it’s definitely one of the best Colorado tournaments, definitely. The best teams usually show up here and the fact that you get to play somebody else, some other team (than you usually do), to see where you stand.”
Sokolowski, who has won the tournament each year she’s competed, said that there were likely fewer out-of-state teams this year than most years due to the Hermosa Beach Open tournament in California starting on Wednesday and some of the top competitors not wanting to commit to the travel. However, Sokolowski and Pyles will be making their way to the beach suburb of Torrance even after competing in Motherlode.
On the men’s side there was one new, one familiar champion at the top. Last year’s champions Lars Basey and Ian Carlson looked to defend their title, but ran into Canadian Olympian Sam Schachter and Jeffery Samuels, who had previously won the title twice.
Much like Sokolowski/Pyles, Schachter/Samuels swept their way through the tournament despite running into some trouble in the finals. They, too, had to win a 21-19 set in the finals, though their close call came in the first set.
“It was a little bit uncomfortable compared to the other matches we played,” Samuels told commentator Jason Dibelius on the NYVarsity broadcast after the championship. “They made us kind of get after it and bring out a better game than we had to in the earlier matches. They were playing phenomenal.”
Schachter and Samuels did not get to practice together until one day before the tournament, and even then the latter was competing in the master’s 37-years-old-plus tournament, which he won with Dan Neiman.
“I don’t know that it’s ever easy to come in here and win,” Samuels said. “Once you get into the quarters, semis and finals, you’re playing good teams and mainly Colorado guys who are comfortable in this altitude and the way the ball flies and then you’ve got the crowd against you.”
Across grass at Wagner Park and sand at Koch Park, 328 registered teams played across 22 divisions, ranging from competitive open to master’s 60-plus, with games running from Wednesday to Monday in the 51st edition of the tournament.