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Crunching the Numbers: Daskalakis vs. Moler Ice Bowl Semifinals

Crunching the Numbers: Daskalakis vs. Moler Ice Bowl Semifinals

Daskalakis vs. Moler Ice Bowl Semifinals – Tiebreaker Only

WPH Press, Clark Park, 10/5/21

Starting in 2020, the WPH has crunched tens of thousands of shots, tracking the aces, kill shots, return of serve kills, first-strike kills, errors, 6+ shot rallies won, and hinders for dozens of classic matches in handball’s recent and distant past. The thousands of numbers we’ve crunched have provided handball fans and players with the blueprint to win matches.

On this edition of Crunching the Numbers, we’ll examine the bottom bracket semifinal tiebreaker between Danielle Daskalakis and Ashley Moler. After splitting games of 21-15 in the blazing Tucson heat, Daskalakis and Moler would duel in an 11-point tiebreaker to determine the finalist from the Ice Bowl’s bottom bracket.

Watch Daskalakis vs. Moler HERE (tiebreaker starts at 44:39)

Tiebreaker Stats

Aces

Daskalakis: 2

Moler: 3

First Strike Kills

Daskalakis: 3

Moler: 0

Danielle relied solely on her overhand serve in the tiebreaker, pushing Moler deep for two aces and three first-strike kills. Moler was unable to locate her overhand serve as effectively, clipping the side walls for easier Daskalakis returns.

Return of Serve Kills

Daskalakis: 0

Moler: 2

Right Hand Rally-Enders

Daskalakis: 3

Moler: 4

Left Hand Rally Enders

Daskalakis: 7

Moler: 0

Daskalakis out-killed Moler 10 to 4, with the final rally-ender coming on a lunging right-handed scoop kill to win the match

6+ Shot Rallies Won

Daskalakis: 3

Moler: 4

Errors

Daskalakis: 5

Moler: 6

Moler’s six errors were ill-timed, as several of Moler’s errors came late in the tiebreaker on relatively straightforward service returns

Fly Kills:

Daskalakis: 0

Moler: 1

Hinders: 2

Time: 14:25 (tiebreaker only)

Final: Daskalakis def Moler 21-15, 15-21, 11-6

Total Points Scored: 17 (tiebreaker only)

Daskalakis and Moler played to a standstill throughout the first 82 points of the match, with both scoring 41 (21-15, 15-21, 5-5). Daskalakis trailed 0-2 in the tiebreaker before scoring five consecutive points to take a 5-2 lead, only to be caught by Moler at five. 

Daskalakis was able to separate herself in crunch time, scoring five of the final six points of the match. Moler will undoubtedly rue her play in the final stages, as she made four errors in the final eight rallies of the match to fall to an exhausted Daskalakis.

Watch Daskalakis vs. Moler HERE (tiebreaker starts at 44:39)

2021 Ice Bowl full recap HERE

David Fink

WPH Statistician 

DV: David Vincent formed the World Players of Handball in 2005 and ushered live handball viewing into our living rooms for the first time. Since its inception, the World Players of Handball has broadcast over 1,500 matches live. Dave Vincent serves as the lead play-by-play announcer for virtually all matches, combining his unique perspective and personality with a lifetime of handball experience. DV brings 25 years of broadcast radio experience (in Oregon and California) to World Players of Handball & ESPN broadcasts and provides professionalism and wit to the amazing game of handball. DV also serves as the Executive Director of the World Player of Handball at the WPH headquarters in Tucson, AZ, working daily to grow the game of handball through innovation.
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