IRT - New York Temperature Controls Quarter Finals

The four top seeds all made it through to the semi-finals of the New York Temperature Controls Pro-Am in Syosset, New York, which is the sixth event of the 2012-13 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) season. But two of the four quarter final matches went five games.

However, top seed Rocky Carson needed only three games to defeat Javier Moreno, winning 11-5, 11-9, 11-8. Moreno had early leads in both games two and three, and was even tied at 8-8 in the second game and at 9-8 down game three. However, Moreno just couldn't finish either game, as Carson raised his game to ensure a straight game victory.

Carson will face Chris Crowther in the semi-finals, as Crowther also won his quarter final match in three straight games. He defeated Anthony Herrera 12-10, 11-3, 11-3. Herrera was up 6-3 in game one and served for the game at 10-8. However, he couldn't finish it off as Crowther won three straight points to take game one.

In game two, Herrera got the first three points, but then stalled as Crowther counted off eleven in a row to win the game and take a commanding lead in the match. He used the momentum to take game three easily.

It was on the bottom of the draw where the five game matches happened. Second seed Alvaro Beltran lost the first two games of his quarter final match against Alejandro Landa, but then came back to win it in five including going into 'overtime' in game five. The final scoreline was 9-11, 2-11, 11-8, 11-7, 13-11.

Landa almost closed out the match in three games, although Beltran had a 8-1 lead in that game. Landa came back to make it 8-7, and was four points from the victory. However, the veteran Beltran managed to pull out the game and the match.

Beltran will face Jose Rojas in the semis, as Rojas survived a five game battle with Ben Croft, 2-11, 11-9, 3-11, 11-2, 11-0. Croft came out on fire in game one, driving serving Rojas off the court.

But in game two, it was Rojas who got off to a good start, as he went up 4-1 and kept it up to lead 10-5. But then Croft held Rojas at 10 for three game points and scored four points to make the score 10-9. However, Croft couldn't tie the game and Rojas won it on his fourth game point.

In game three the momentum swung back to Croft, as scored the first three points of the game. Rojas cut the lead to one at 3-2, but then Croft ran the score up to 10-2. Then in a reversal of game two, Rojas held off Croft for four games points but he could only score one more point before Croft got an eleventh to win the game.

Rojas lead most of the way in game four, and late in the game Croft, who had questioned some of the referee's calls earlier in the match, let the referee get to him and was called for a technical at 10-4, and then lost the next rally. Thus, Rojas won game four 11-3, forcing a tie-breaking fifth game.

In the fifth it was all Rojas, as he blanked Croft with solid shots and three service winners, including the final point which came as Croft skipped a backhand serve return off a drive serve to the left side.

The first semi-final will be Saturday at 4 PM EST in Syosset, New York and can be viewed via the IRT Network.

New York Temperature Controls Pro-Am - January 10-13, 2013
Syosset, New York

Quarter finals

Rocky Carson d. Javier Moreno, 11-5, 11-9, 11-8
Chris Crowther d. Anthony Herrera, 12-10, 11-3, 11-3

Jose Rojas d. Ben Croft, 2-11, 11-9, 3-11, 11-3, 11-0
Alvaro Beltran d. Alejandro Landa, 9-11, 2-11, 11-8, 11-7, 13-11

Semi-finals - Saturday

Rocky Carson v. Chris Crowther - 5 PM EST
Alvaro Beltran v. Jose Rojas - 4 PM EST

Follow the bouncing ball….