#BPL16: Melbourne Pulse go back-to-back
The Melbourne Pulse have made history at #BPL16 becoming the third team ever to go back-to-back following a straight sets win over the Adelaide Pioneers in the grand final.
The Dandenong Club franchise ended the evening session undefeated as they joined four other teams to have claimed multiple BPL championships.
Following a tough morning where Barrie Lester, Ellen Ryan and Gary Kelly claimed just one victory from their three encounters, the trio would enter the finals with a double chance in second spot on the table behind only the Moreton Bay Pirates.
The solitary victory for the squad would come over crosstown rivals Melbourne eXtreme, who’s event was effectively ended with the defeat as they would fall behind the Moama Steamers with just one round to play.
Melbourne would take on Brisbane in the qualifying final for a place in the decider and claimed a straight sets win before sealing a dominant victory over Adelaide to claim the historic title.
Adelaide themselves enjoyed a wonderful day, finishing fourth and falling in just one match in the final home and away rounds to the Steamers in a tiebreak.
The teams would reconvene in the first game of the finals as the Pioneers came from a set down to take the match in a tiebreak before putting on a sensational display to account for the Sydney Lions as they progressed to the final three.
Katelyn Inch, Wayne Ruediger and Scott Thulborn would meet the Pirates for a place in the decider and despite losing the opening set, the Pioneers would force a tiebreak with an end to spare in the second set.
In the breaker, Thulborn was tasked with pulling off a perfect draw to send his team through to the grand final and he nailed it to sink the parochial Pine Rivers crowd.
In their fifth BPL final each, Thulborn and Ruediger were unable to claim the elusive title as the Pulse maintained their stranglehold on the event.
The next Bowls Premier League will be held in Moama from February 20-24, 2023.
