2010 Junior World Championships - Finalists Set

Girls from five different countries will be playing for gold medals on Saturday at the 22nd International Racquetball Federation (IRF) Junior World Racquetball Championships in Los Angeles, California. Bolivia and the USA have two players among the Girls U14, U16, and U18 finalists with one each from Canada and Mexico.

In the Girls U18 final, American Aubrey O'brien will play Canadian Frédérique Lambert. O'brien defeated Maria Paz Munoz, 15-6, 11-15, 11-0, in one semi-final on Friday and Lambert beat Danielle Key (USA), 15-12, 8-15, 11-7.

On the boys' side, the finalists are a split between Mexico and the USA with one exception, as Pedro Castro of Canada made it to the Boys U18 final with two tie-breaker wins against fellow Canuck Jamie Slamko, 13-15, 15-9, 11-9, in the quarters and American Bradley Kirch in the semis, 14-15, 15-12, 11-6.

Castro's opponent will be top seed Taylor Knoth (USA). His path to the final was only slightly less difficult, as he faced the 2009 silver medalist Alejandro Cardona of Mexico in the quarters. That match was as close as it could be as Knoth won 15-14, 14-15, 11-10. But in his semi-final match, Knoth defeated Jaime Martell (Mexico) in two straight games, 15-12, 15-4.

The finals are all set for Saturday at the Spectrum Club in Los Angeles, California. Play will begin at 10 AM PST and can be seen over the web via the IRF website.

Boy's Singles 14 and Under
Quarter finals
Coby Iwaasa (Canada) d. Adam Manilla (USA), 8-15, 15-12, 11-6
Roman Ramos (Mexico) d. Marcelo Vargas (Bolivia), 0-15, 15-2, 11-1

Sawyer Lloyd (USA) d. Andres Aviles (Costa Rica), 10-15, 15-11, 11-3
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Sami Harb (Canada), 15-14, 15-8

Semi-finals
Roman Ramos (Mexico) d. Coby Iwaasa (Canada), 15-11, 15-8
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Sawyer Lloyd (USA), 15-14, 15-3

Final - Roman Ramos (Mexico) vs. Javier Mar (Mexico)

Boy's Singles 16 and Under
Quarter finals
Marco Rojas (USA) d. Sebastian Franco (Colombia), 11-15, 15-2, 11-2
Vladimir Soria (Bolivia) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-4, 13-15, 11-3

Jose Diaz (USA) d. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 15-0, 15-11
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Oscar Arias (Bolivia), 15-6, 15-6

Semi-finals
Marco Rojas (USA) d. Vladimir Soria (Bolivia), 15-9, 15-1
Jose Diaz (USA) d. Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico), 15-9, 15-14

Final - Marco Rojas (USA) vs. Jose Diaz (USA)

Boy's Singles 18 and Under - Pool Play Playoffs
Quarter finals
Taylor Knoth (USA) d. Alejandro Cardona (Mexico), 15-14, 14-15, 11-10
Jaime Martell (Mexico) d. Carlos Keller Vargas (Bolivia), 15-10, 5-15, 11-7

Bradley Kirch (USA) d. Juan Felipe Garzon (Colombia), 15-4, 15-6
Pedro Castro (Canada) d. James Slamko (Canada), 13-15, 15-9, 11-9

Semi-finals
Taylor Knoth (USA) d. Jaime Martell (Mexico), 15-12, 15-4
Pedro Castro (Canada) d. Bradley Kirch (USA), 14-15, 15-12, 11-6

Final - Taylor Knoth (USA) vs. Pedro Castro (Canada)

Girl's Singles 14 and Under
Quarter finals
Kaitlyn Simmons (USA) d. Kate Ryan (Ireland), 13-15, 15-8, 11-6
Ximena Gonzalez (Mexico) d. Mariana Lopez (Bolivia), 13-15, 15-3, 11-6

Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Michèle Morissette (Canada), 15-10, 15-8
Natalia Mendez (Bolivia) d. Alexandra Herrera (Mexico), 9-15, 15-7, 11-8

Semi-finals
Ximena Gonzalez (Mexico) d. Kaitlyn Simmons (USA), 15-6, 15-1
Natalia Mendez (Bolivia) d. Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-10, 15-6

Final - Ximena Gonzalez (Mexico) vs. Natalia Mendez (Bolivia)

Girl's Singles 16 and Under
Quarter finals
Kelani Bailey (USA) d. Marianna Tobon (Venezuela), 15-6, 15-6
Masiel Rivera (Bolivia) d. Erica Ortega (Mexico), 15-2, 15-10

Devon Pimentelli (USA) d. Sylvia Zamora (Nicaragua), 15-5, 15-4
Maria Jose Vargas (Bolivia) d. Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 15-4, 15-1

Semi-finals
Kelani Bailey (USA) d. Masiel Rivera (Bolivia), 15-13, 15-13
Maria Jose Vargas (Bolivia) d. Devon Pimentelli (USA), 15-8, 15-2

Final - Kelani Bailey (USA) vs. Maria Jose Vargas (Bolivia)

Girl's Singles 18 and Under
Quarter finals
Aubrey O'brien (USA) d. Carolina Oña (Bolivia), 15-5, 15-1
Maria Paz Munoz (Ecuador) d. Jessica Parrilla (Mexico), 7-15, 15-8, 11-9

Danielle Key (USA) d. Elena Robles Molina (Mexico), 15-5, 15-9
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Adriana Riveros (Bolivia), 15-2, 15-10

Semi-finals
Aubrey O'brien (USA) d. Maria Paz Munoz (Ecuador), 15-6, 11-15, 11-0
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Danielle Key (USA), 15-12, 8-15, 11-7

Final - Aubrey O'brien (USA) vs. Frédérique Lambert (Canada)

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