"Normally you wouldn't think that a team could lose two out of three games in a round-robin format with four teams, and still make the finals."
As usual, there were a lot of strong teams, at least five of U.S. Open top-ten caliber. The odd team out was John Schiller/Randy Lahm from Fort Collins, who finished third in a tough pool. That left (in order of seeding):
The round-robin semi produced the same records as last year's, only this time the undefeated team was Freedman/Damon, who won close games over teams 2 and 4. In on point differential was... Brandt/Robison, on the strength of their 21-15 win over Bonopane/McInnis.
Last year Jon and I snuck into the finals through the back door and eked out a victory, winning the third game by two points. Would 96 see an exact reversal of 95?
Yep. Harvey and Robbie won the somewhat listless first game, and Jon and I took the second game 15-13, with everybody loosened up and playing more aggressively. The third game was kind of strange. Jon and I converted our second-game momentum into a 1-8 deficit. Sometimes the points get away quickly and you're not sure how. I know because it then happened to Harvey and Robbie as the score became a 10-10 tie. Then it was their turn for a run, and they led 14-10. At 14-13 I managed to save the game twice by throwing scoring burns as Jon and I were losing a point with the other disc. But the comeback was not to be. Harvey and Robbie made a nice crossing attack where I had to tip around Jon's body, and the dump went over his head.