Eight Match Points Down – No Problem!
by Robin Dawson

Michele Smith and Kyle McNutt were down 1-6, 0-5 in their line-three match Sunday.  This was their last match of the round robin and it was a must-win for their team to advance to the playoffs. 

Michele and Kyle fought back, point by point and game by game, to take the second set 7-5.  But oh boy – now they faced that third set Match Tiebreak!  Talk about the heat being on! 

Michele and Kyle did not get off to a fabulous start in the Tiebreak.  In fact they were down 0-5.  But once again they pulled out their boxing gloves and fought back.  “Every point counted,” said Michele. 

By this time their whole team was courtside cheering them on. Even their line-one team, Kristi McLinskey and Chris Moffa, who had a tight match themselves, winning 11-9 in their own third set Match Tiebreak, were there for the finish. 

Michele and Kyle knew they had to hang in there and keep trying.  Michele said what helped the most was “everybody all around watching and cheering.” 

They dug deep; they came back in the Tiebreak where they fought off eight, count ‘em eight, match points, and they finally came out on top, winning the Tiebreak 10-8. 

Whew! 

Michele and Kyle had a rough time of it out there, no doubt.  But sideline cheerleader and teammate Chantey Foley said, “We suffered the most because we weren’t playing.” 

Watch out for this group in the playoffs!  For these 8.0 Adult “Kelliher Cougars” from Cherokee County, a slow start means nothing!