So after defeating Mark for the first time in a set, my next opponent was Davis Lee Huynh. Here’s a video of an interview Dan did with Davis at last year’s Houston tournament:
[vimeo 13515141]Now, the previous day in doubles, Davis lit Dan and I up for the most part and I was hoping I’d at least get a game, maybe 2 against the 2 time champ. There was a moment before our match though where after I knew that Davis and I would be playing that I saw Davis and Ehab up by the tournament chart talking. Ehab gave me a head nod and as I walked up I heard Davis saying “It’s fine, all he has in a right wall, cut attack” to which Ehab made a gesture that I was behind Davis and Davis turned around laughing saying “Hey, what’s up” with a lil bit of a smile. I had jokingly responded with well that’s the attack I needed to use against Mark and I have a lil something planned for against him. I’m pretty sure they were joking around with me because Ehab then said, “Good Davis, you just gave him all the motivation he needs now”. In fact, I knew it’d take a great performance to compete on the level of part of the new guard during a set. (i.e. Davis, Ehab, Danny, & Billy) We’d see if I would be up for the challenge this time.
Game 1:
Leading into the set, I was thinking that my cut/RW is my stronger attack so I need to feature that but at the same time I need to adjust quickly. One thing Billy has mentioned is that at the higher tier of play/skill of the higher players, adjustments need to be made quickly in order to have a shot. Davis and I went point for point up to 3-3 which was one of the longer points of the set. We each had 3 or 4 possessions and Davis broke that tie to go up 4-3 after I had been called over on a transition cut up near the line that went in. I still think the puck was on the line or way too close to have been called but alas I did not get that call. Davis gets up to a 5-3 but I am able to tie it back up after another time delay cut that he moves for and a left wall under that was slightly off target but ends up going off his mallet and in. 5-5 in a game is one of those vital points. The next to score has a great advantage over the opponent. Davis scores first and makes it 6-5. I’m able to tie it on a RWU from the line and stop Davis’ ensuing possession. I take 6 seconds and call my timeout. I’ve scored thus far with LWUs, cuts, and RWUs. My overs have been off target so I decide that I will go with a cut. Davis flinches slightly and I win game 1, 7-6.
Game 2:
I was lucky to get out of game 2 with a win. I had a few turnovers and scored on myself once. My first 3 goals were right wall shots and after that I mixed in some left walls and both straights. Davis read one of my crosses and charged it off of the table which made me go away from that more than I should have. Unlike game 1, there wasn’t any point that seemed quite as long as the 3-3 tie in game 1, but yet again though, I found myself down 6-5 and after tying it up 6-6, I was able to chase a puck at the line and get possession from Davis. The next shot I hit was a cut that fell in to give me a 2-0 lead on Davis.
Game 3:
Davis came out aggressive in game 3. Scoring on a hard RWO, he was charging a lot of my shots on defense and overall it was not as great of a game as the other ones. I lost my mallet on a possession, had one of my missed shots go in as a double bank against Davis, and overall may have played a little too rushed from watching the video. Davis wins game 3, 7-5.
Game 4:
This game was just about weathering a storm a little bit for me. Davis seemed to win the possession battle this game but his shots were just missing their mark when he got me to move. I was able to chase and play the line well and battled back from a 3-1 deficit to tie it at 3-3 including a very gutsy and probably ill advised charge at 3-1. Davis got frustrated with the lack of line calls against me and I think it cost him one point this game because he was saying something to Mike about me being over at one point after losing the puck but I got a left wall in on him while he was off guard. (15:55 in on the video linked below). Regardless, I am able to win game 4 7-5 and get up to a 3-1 lead. I just have to win 1 of 3 games. I knew it would still be a challenge against a player like Davis but the odds at this point were shifting to my favor in this match.
Game 5:
I was able to battle out at the beginning of game 5 and get out to a 4-1 or 4-2 lead. I hit a touch of bad shot selection at one point after this I think. I had 2 or 3 right wall unders that were not staying on the table and I kept on going back to it. The fact that it was flying off of the table wasn’t the issue…the issue with the shot selection was that I think Davis would have blocked them either way. Davis is able to fight back from that lead and get to a 6-5 lead again. I’m able to tie it at 6-6. Here I am at game point for Davis, set point for me…Davis with possession. I block a right wall shot of his off of the table and get possession. The cut has been my go to shot in pressure situations in this set and I decide to go back to it. I get Davis to move slightly but off target. I try a left wall shot that Davis charges correctly. I had another shot, maybe a cut and then have to hit a transition right wall off of a chase. None of which fall. Davis gains possession and scores with a good right wall under for the game 5 win to reduce the deficit to 3-2.
Games 6 & 7:
Unfortunately game 5 was the only shot I ended up getting at winning the set. Davis steamrolls me in game 6 for a 7-2 or 7-3 win. Game 7 ends 7-5 Davis where I believe I didn’t have the lead except maybe early on. (I didn’t rewatch games 6 and 7…i turn the video off after game 5 each time so I’ll let someone else tell me what happened 🙂 )
Without further ado…video of the set between me vs. Davis.
[vimeo 27813486]I was very close to making a big impact in this tournament early on the first day. I played really well against Davis but just shy of what was necessary to beat him. I got a lot of congrats on the effort during that set afterwards which was great to hear from some of the veterans in the sport but now I have to regroup because while I may be down…I’m not out of the tournament. Off to the loser’s bracket I go, the first opponent would be Ramiro Castano and then the winner of Dan v. Goran…
… to be concluded…
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