2015 USA Racquetball Doubles Championships - Quarterfinals

The quarterfinals of the 2015 USA Racquetball Doubles Championships went of without an upset in the Women's National Team division, but a small upset in the Men's division.

On the Men's side, 5th seeds Jose Diaz and Marco Rojas defeated 4th seeds Anthony Herrera and David Horn, 15-11, 15-10, and will play top seeds Jose Rojas and Jansen Allen in the semi-finals on Friday.

In the Women's draw, last year's champions Aimee Ruiz and Janel Tisinger easily won their first match against Mimi McClosky and Fran Transfiguracion, 15-5, 15-2, and will play the young sister team of Michelle Key and Danielle Key, who were winners against former champions Jacqueline Paraiso and Joy Paraiso-Mackenzie, 15-3, 15-13.

On the bottom of the draw, it will be 2nd seeds and last year's runners up Rhonda Rajsich and Kim Russell-Waselenchuk versus 2014 third place finishers Cheryl Gudinas and Laura Fenton Kovanda, as Rajsich and Russell-Waselenchuk beat Sheryl Lotts and Kimberly Thomas, 15-14, 15-4, and Gudinas and Fenton Kovanda defeated Malia Bailey and Mary Kirchoff, 15-5, 15-3.

You can watch the semi-finals from Tempe via the IRT Network this afternoon and evening.

Russ Mannino

Sadly, Russ Mannino, a long time racquetball enthusiast, former club owner, commentator on the IRT Network, and father of former IRT #1 and current IRT President Jason Mannino, died yesterday competing in Tempe at the USA Racquetball Doubles Championships.

Mannino was playing in the Men's 65+ division with R. O. Carson, Rocky Carson's father, and reportedly had a heart attack, although that's unconfirmed at this time.

The Racquetball Blog offers its sincere condolences to the Mannino family at this time.

2015 USA Racquetball Doubles Championships
Tempe, Arizona - February 11-15, 2015

Women's Quarterfinals

Aimee Ruiz & Janel Tisinger d. Mimi McClosky & Fran Transfiguracion, 15-5, 15-2
Michelle Key & Danielle Key d. Jacqueline Paraiso & Joy Paraiso-Mackenzie, 15-3, 15-13

Cheryl Gudinas & Laura Fenton Kovanda d. Malia Bailey & Mary Kirchoff, 15-5, 15-3
Rhonda Rajsich & Kim Russell-Waselenchuk d. Sheryl Lotts & Kimberly Thomas, 15-14, 15-4

Women's Semi-finals

Aimee Ruiz & Janel Tisinger v. Michelle Key & Danielle Key - 7:15 PM
Rhonda Rajsich & Kim Russell-Waselenchuk v. Cheryl Gudinas & Laura Fenton Kovanda - 4:45 PM

Men's Quarterfinals

Jansen Allen & Jose Rojas - BYE
Anthony Herrera & David Horn d. Jose Diaz & Marco Rojas, 15-11, 15-10

Ben Croft & Thomas Fuhrmann - BYE
Charlie Pratt & Jake Bredenbeck - BYE

Men's Semi-finals

Jansen Allen & Jose Rojas v. Anthony Herrera & David Horn - 8:30 PM
Charlie Pratt & Jake Bredenbeck v. Ben Croft & Thomas Fuhrmann - 6 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….