Semi-final day at 2017 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships

Melania Sauma of Arizona State, the 6th seed, is through to the Women’s #1 final at the USA Racquetball 2017 Intercollegiate Championships in Fountain Valley, California after defeating 2nd seed Lexi York of Oregon State, 15-13, 13-15, 11-7, in the semi-finals on Friday. Sauma will play top seed and defending champion Carla Muñoz of Colorado State, Pueblo in the final, as Muñoz defeated 4th seed Katie Nieswiadomy of Texas A&M, 15-8, 15-0, in the other semi.

On the men’s side, Thomas Carter (Baldwin Wallace), the top seed, beat the 2015 champion Adam Manilla 15-6, 13-15, 11-6, in what was a battle of two left-handed players. Carter will face Erik Garcia of Colorado State, Pueblo in the final, after Garcia came back from a game down to defeat Mauro Rojas of Delta College, 10-15, 15-12, 11-7.

In Women’s Doubles, the Northern Arizona team of Erin Boadway and Erika Manilla upset the top seeds and defending champions Erica Lipski and Lexi York of Oregon State. The Northern Arizona team prevailed in three games, 11-15, 15-10, 11-6, in what was an interesting match with each team having a current (Manilla) or former (York) USA Junior National Team member. Boadway and Lipski are no slouches either, as they will play each other in the Women’s #2 final on Saturday, so there was strength on both sides of the court.

In the breaker, it was Boadway and Manilla who got the early lead, carrying over their momentum from winning game two to take a 4-1 lead. But Lipski and York got the serve back, and went on a run of their own, scoring five points on three winners by York and two by Lipski. Northern Arizona called timeout with the score 6-4 in Oregon State’s favour.

When play resumed, Manilla hit a winning backhand return to Northern Arizona back in the service box, and they never left it, as Northern Arizona scored seven straight points, including three winners by Manilla and two by Boadway. Boadway’s backhand pinch shot from deep in the back right corner to the front left corner was the shot of the game, and got her team to match point at 10-6. They won it on the next rally as Manilla hit a forehand shot that Lipski anticipated would be a pinch (Manilla had hit two pinch winners a few rallies before), so she moved up to take it, and Manilla’s passing shot hit Lipski’s leg.

In the Women’s Doubles final on Saturday, Boadway and Manilla will face 13th seeds Samantha Baker and Carla Muñoz (Colorado State, Pueblo) who defeated 2nd seeds Madeline Gauch and Christina Hughes (Missouri), 15-5, 15-3. Thus, Muñoz could be a double champion on Saturday, as she’s in both the singles and doubles finals. If Muñoz wins both, she’ll be the first woman to do so since 2012, when Sharon Jackson won both playing for the University of Alabama (Madeleine Angles was Jackson’s doubles partner that year).

In Men’s Doubles, the top seeds will face off in the final, as Erik Garcia and Brad Schopieray (Colorado State, Pueblo) and Thomas Carter and Manolo Sandoval (Baldwin Wallace) won their respective semi-final matches. Top seeds Garcia and Schopieray defeated 4th seeds Mauro Rojas and Francisco Troncoso (Delta College), 15-12, 15-10, in one semi while 2nd seeds Carter and Sandoval beat 3rd seeds Adam Manilla and Nick Riffel (Colorado), 15-12, 15-5.

Either Carter or Garcia could be a double champion Saturday, which would be the third year in a row that has happened. Last year, Marco Rojas representing University of the Pacific won both singles and doubles with Jose Diaz, and in 2015 Manilla won both with Riffel as his doubles partner.

You can watch the finals via the USA Racquetball LiveStream channel or on the USA Racquetball Facebook page.

2017 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships
Fountain Valley, California
(with seedings)

Women's Singles - Semi-finals Friday

1) Carla Muñoz (Colorado State) d. 4) Katie Nieswiadomy (Texas A&M), 15-8, 15-0
6) Melania Sauma (Arizona State) d. 2) Lexi York (Oregon State), 15-13, 13-15, 11-7

Women's Singles - Final Saturday

1) Carla Muñoz (Colorado State) v. 6) Melania Sauma (Arizona State) - 2:30 PM

Women's Singles - 3rd Place Saturday

2) Lexi York (Oregon State) v. 4) Katie Nieswiadomy (Texas A&M) - 1:30 PM

Women's Doubles - Semi-finals Friday

4) Erin Boadway & Erika Manilla (Northern Arizona) d. 1) Erica Lipski & Lexi York (Oregon State), 11-15, 15-10, 11-6
13) Samantha Baker & Carla Muñoz (Colorado State) d. 2) Madeline Gauch & Christina Hughes (Missouri), 15-5, 15-3

Women's Doubles - Final Saturday

4) Erin Boadway & Erika Manilla (Northern Arizona) v. 13) Samantha Baker & Carla Muñoz (Colorado State) - 10:30 AM

Women's Doubles - 3rd Place Saturday

1) Erica Lipski & Lexi York (Oregon State) v. 2) Madeline Gauch & Christina Hughes (Missouri) - 9:30 AM

Men's Singles - Semi-finals Friday

1) Thomas Carter (Baldwin Wallace) d. 4) Adam Manilla (Colorado), 15-6, 13-15, 11-6
3) Erik Garcia (Colorado State) d. 2) Mauro Rojas (Delta), 10-15, 15-12, 11-7

Men's Singles - Final Saturday

1) Thomas Carter (Baldwin Wallace) v. 3) Erik Garcia (Colorado State) - 3:30 PM

Men's Singles - 3rd Place Saturday

2) Mauro Rojas (Delta) v. 4) Adam Manilla (Colorado) - 2:30 PM

Men's Doubles - Semi-finals Friday

1) Erik Garcia & Brad Schopieray (Colorado State, Pueblo) d. 4) Mauro Rojas & Francisco Troncoso (Delta College), 15-12, 15-10
2) Thomas Carter & Manolo Sandoval (Baldwin Wallace) d. 3) Adam Manilla & Nick Riffel (Colorado), 15-12, 15-5

Men's Doubles - Final Saturday

1) Erik Garcia & Brad Schopieray (Colorado State, Pueblo) v. 2) Thomas Carter & Manolo Sandoval (Baldwin Wallace) - 11:30 AM

Men's Doubles - 3rd Place Saturday

3) Adam Manilla & Nick Riffel (Colorado) v. 4) Mauro Rojas & Francisco Troncoso (Delta College) - 10:30 AM

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