Rojas, Muñoz win 2016 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships

Two repeat finalists in the Men’s and Women’s #1 Singles divisions at the USA Racquetball 2016 Intercollegiate Championships at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, and the two had different results from last year. The repeat finalists were the top seeds in their respective divisions: Marco Rojas from the University of the Pacific, runner up last year in Men’s #1 and last year's Women’s #1 champion Kelani Bailey of Shenandoah University.

Rojas won the Men’s #1 final this year, when he beat 3rd seed David Horn (California State-Hayward) in the final, 15-5, 14-15, 11-9. After dropping the first game, Horn had a big lead in game two, and looked like it was going breaker for sure. But Rojas fought back from 9-4 to lead 14-11. Then it was Horn’s turn to comeback, and he did so with four answered points to force the third game, winning the game with a forehand killshot.

The breaker was close all the way, although Rojas had a slight advantage until late in the game, when Horn tied him at 8-8. Horn then took his first lead of the game at 9-8. However, a timeout from Rojas stopped Horn’s momentum, and he tied it back up at 9-9 and then went ahead 10-9 and won it with a drive serve ace to the left side that made it 11-9.

In Women's #1 Singles, last year's champion Bailey of Shenandoah University fell to 2nd seed Carla Muñoz of Las Positas College, 15-11, 13-15, 11-5. But Bailey will get a one year appointment to the USA Racquetball National Team, as she is the highest American finisher in the event. Muñoz is Chilean.

In doubles, Rojas became a double champion Saturday, as he and Jose Diaz won Men’s #1 Doubles also by defeating 3rd seed Jeremy McGlothin and Brad Schopieray of Colorado State, Pueblo, 15-8, 15-7, in the final. Erica Lipski and Lexi York of Oregon State won Women’s #1 Doubles, when the beat 2nd seeds Jordan Giljum and Madeline Gauch of Missouri, 15-2, 15-3.

Players compete in teams at the Intercollegiate Championships. A full team is six men and six women, who are ranked within the teams. The #1 ranked players are in one division, #2s in a second division, #3s in a third, etc. Thus, there are also three divisions of doubles.

If you missed any of the action from Tempe, you can watch the matches that were live streamed by USA Racquetball via their Intercollegiate Championships LiveStream channel.

2016 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
(with seedings)

Women's Singles - Final

2) Carla Muñoz (Las Positas) d. 1) Kelani Bailey (Shenandoah), 15-11, 13-15, 11-5

Women's Singles - 3rd place

4) Lexi York (Oregon State) d. 3) Devon Pimentelli (Bellevue College), 15-6, 15-13

Women's Doubles - Final

1) Erica Lipski & Lexi York (Oregon State) d. 2) Jordan Giljum & Madeline Gauch (Missouri), 15-2, 15-3

Women's Doubles - 3rd place

13) Jessilee Loucks & Lindsey Raven (Brigham Young) d. 3) Alexis Templeton & Antonia Duran (New Mexico), 15-12, 15-7

Men's Singles - Final

1) Marco Rojas (University of the Pacific) d. 3) David Horn (California State-Hayward), 15-5, 14-15, 11-9

Men's Singles - 3rd Place

4) Thomas Carter (Baldwin Wallace) d. 2) Brad Schopieray (Colorado State), 15-12, 15-11

Men's Doubles - Final

1) Jose Diaz & Marco Rojas (University of the Pacific) d. 3) Jeremy McGlothin & Brad Schopieray (Colorado State, Pueblo), 15-8, 15-7

Men's Doubles - 3rd place

5) Thomas Carter & Manolo Sandoval (Baldwin Wallace) d. 2) Matt McAdam & Nick Riffel (Colorado), 15-3, 15-7

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