: Final: Full Recap + Crunching the Numbers){kind=link}
David Fink vs. Shorty Ruiz
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Watch Icebreaker #6 Final: David Fink vs. Shorty Ruiz HERE
The WPH is proud to present the WPH Icebreaker #6, the sixth official WPH Icebreaker event since September.
“We want to show people that we could safely hold an event with all of the COVID protocols in place,” stated WPH Executive Director David Vincent. “We allowed a limited number of socially distant fans, while ensuring the players were distanced as much as possible.”
Fink and Ruiz met for the second time in an Icebreaker final, as Fink overcame Ruiz in the first Icebreaker in September of 2020.
Two-time Icebreaker champion David Fink raced to an 18-2 lead in the first game, blasting aces, attacking weak returns, and hitting ceiling shots into the bleachers. “Dave’s ceiling game has really improved and he’s able to win rallies with his ceiling shot now,” stated Ruiz.
Ruiz battled back from the seemingly insurmountable deficit, scoring nine straight points with serve and first-strike handball. Ruiz mixed “tap” kills with ceiling blasts en route to his nine straight points. “Only Shorty can make those tap shots while falling backwards and have the ball die into the corners,” stated Fink. “I was hitting good returns and he was killing all of them.”
A Ruiz error at 11-18 opened the door for Fink, who scored three of the final four points of the first game to take a one-game lead.
Fink took control once again in game two, leading 11-0 and seemingly on his way to his third Icebreaker crown. Ruiz slowed down his serve and attacked the return, duplicating his game one run with outrageous kills and ceiling shots. Ruiz cut the deficit to two at 9-11, but an error halted his momentum. Fink surged to a 15-9 lead, eventually leading 18-9. “I felt like I earned a lot of free points in the first game with my serve but Shorty was defending those same serves in game two,” stated Fink. “I started to mix up my serve, going for short cracks and deep natural hops to the right and I regained control of the match.”
Fink had his first match point at 20-13, but misplayed a right-hand fly kill. “Of course I knew it wasn’t over when I lost that first match point,” stated Fink. “Shorty had scored nine straight points twice in the match, and I knew it could happen again.”
Ruiz scored one but his comeback stalled there, as Fink earned a side out and hit an ace on his second match point.
“Dave outplayed me today,” stated Ruiz. “His game was awesome.”
“I’m really happy with how I’m playing,” stated Fink. “I played about as well as I could in both matches (against Esser and Ruiz). 3-Wall is my favorite code and I feel like I’m improving with each event.”
Crunching the Numbers: Icebreaker #6 Final: Fink vs. Ruiz
WPH Press
Watch Icebreaker #6 Final: David Fink vs. Shorty Ruiz HERE
Stats (Games 1 and 2 combined)
Aces
Fink: 22
Ruiz: 4
Fink outscored Ruiz by 17 points (42-25), with the Ace differential accounting for the difference. Fink opened the match with four consecutive aces and continued to strike aces, hitting 11 in each game to Ruiz’s two in each game
First Strike Kills
Fink: 10
Ruiz: 10
Return of Serve Kills
Fink: 2
Ruiz: 3
Right Hand Rally-Enders
Fink: 4
Ruiz: 30
Left Hand Rally Enders
Fink: 18
Ruiz: 4
Ceiling Shot Rally Enders
Fink: 7
Ruiz: 10
“Dave really used the ceiling well and that was a difference in the match,” stated Ruiz after the match.
“Shorty’s ceiling shots are Mark McGwire upper deck shots,” stated Fink. “When Shorty hits the ceiling the only thing you can do is start walking to the back line to return the next serve.”
6+ Shot Rallies Won
Fink: 10
Ruiz: 15
The winner of the majority of 6+ shot rallies generally wins the match, but Ruiz won 60% of the 6+ shot rallies and lost the match
Errors
Fink: 3
Ruiz: 12
Fink made zero errors in the first game and continued his errorless streak halfway through the second game, while Ruiz sprinkled 12 errors in two games, many of them momentum killers during comebacks
Fly Kills:
Fink: 6
Ruiz: 9
Hinders: 2
Time: 36:10
Final: 21-11, 21-14
Total Points Scored: 67
Stats (Game 1)
Aces
Fink: 11
Ruiz: 2
First Strike Kills
Fink: 3
Ruiz: 6
Return of Serve Kills
Fink: 0
Ruiz: 0
Right Hand Rally-Enders
Fink: 1
Ruiz: 10
Left Hand Rally Enders
Fink: 7
Ruiz: 3
Ceiling Shot Rally Enders
Fink: 4
Ruiz: 2
6+ Shot Rallies Won
Fink: 6
Ruiz: 4
Errors
Fink: 0
Ruiz: 5
Fly Kills:
Fink: 2
Ruiz: 7
Hinders: 1
Time: 12:50
Final: 21-11
Total Points Scored: 32
Stats (Game 2)
Aces
Fink: 11
Ruiz: 2
First Strike Kills
Fink: 7
Ruiz: 4
Return of Serve Kills
Fink: 2
Ruiz: 3
Right Hand Rally-Enders
Fink: 3
Ruiz: 20
Left Hand Rally Enders
Fink: 11
Ruiz: 1
Ceiling Shot Rally Enders
Fink: 3
Ruiz: 8
6+ Shot Rallies Won
Fink: 4
Ruiz: 11
Errors
Fink: 3
Ruiz: 7
Fly Kills:
Fink: 4
Ruiz: 2
Hinders: 1
Time: 23:20
Final: 21-14
Total Points Scored: 35
Watch Icebreaker #6 Final: David Fink vs. Shorty Ruiz HERE