Singles results from 29th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships

The second round of singles matches Wednesday at the 29th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in Minneapolis, Minnesota at Lifetime Fitness Target Center produced plenty of drama, especially as it was the first playoff day, so players who lose from this day forward are eliminated from the tournament. It's win or go home.

In Boys U18, there were four matches that went tie-breaker - two involving the USA players fighting back from a game down to win. Mauro Rojas (USA) dropped the first game against Ecuador's Juan Francisco Cueva, but won in the breaker, 12-15, 15-10, 11-1, and Dane Elkins (USA) won a close breaker against Bolivian Bryan Zambrana, 13-15, 15-8, 11-8.

In a long match, Costa Rican Andres Montero outlasted South Korean Lee Gun Hee, 7-15, 15-9, 11-8, but Montero's team-match Sergio Acuña (Costa Rica) dropped his match against Canadian Trevor Webb, 14-15, 15-9, 11-3, despite winning game one.

In Girls U18, there was one dramatic match Wednesday, as Canadian Alexis Iwaasa narrowly defeated Maria Jose Muñoz of Ecuador, 14-15, 15-9, 11-10. In game one, Muñoz was ahead most of the way, but Iwaasa got to 14 first at 14-13, yet couldn't finish it off, as Muñoz forced her into skipping a forehand shot. With the serve back, Muñoz hit two winners to win game one, 15-14.

In game two, they were tied at 2-2, but Iwaasa took the lead from there, and maintained it to win 15-9, and force a tie-breaker. In the breaker, Iwassa continued to lead, but Muñoz never quit, and she tied the game at 8-8. An avoidable call gave Muñoz her 9th point, and a forehand pinch shot put her on match point at 10-8.

But with the match on her racquet, Muñoz skipped a backhand shot from the back left corner. She gave Iwaasa a point with another backhand skip, but still led 10-9. Iwaasa hit a forehand pinch shot to get her 10th point, and then a drive serve ace to the left side won her the match, 11-10.

The victory puts Iwaasa up against the top seed Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala in the quarters on Thursday.

The IRF World Juniors playoff continues Thursday and runs through Saturday. Check out the IRF Facebook page for live streaming of the event.

29th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
Minneapolis, Minnesota

U18 Boy's Singles
Round of 16 - Wednesday

Gerardo Franco (Mexico) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-4, 15-5
Andres Montero (Costa Rica) d. Lee Gun Hee (South Korea), 7-15, 15-9, 11-8

Mauro Rojas (USA) d. Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador), 12-15, 15-10, 11-1
Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-4, 15-9

Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. Jorge Ochoa Moreira (Ecuador), 15-3, 15-3
Dane Elkins (USA) d. Bryan Zambrana (Bolivia), 13-15, 15-8, 11-8

Trevor Webb (Canada) d. Sergio Acuña (Costa Rica), 14-15, 15-9, 11-3
Fernando Ruiz (Bolivia) d. Simon Comeau (Canada), 15-6, 15-12

Quarterfinals - Thursday

Gerardo Franco (Mexico) v. Andres Montero (Costa Rica)
Set Cubillos (Colombia) v. Mauro Rojas (USA)

Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) v. Dane Elkins (USA)
Fernando Ruiz (Bolivia) v. Trevor Webb (Canada)

U16 Boy's Singles
Round of 16 - Wednesday

Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico) d. Esteban de Janon (Ecuador), 15-5, 15-4
Ian Frattinger (Canada) d. Cayden Akins (USA), 15-14, 15-12

Juan Sebastian Flores (Ecuador) d. Pablo Freer (Costa Rica), 15-5, 15-13
Diego Garcia (Bolivia) d. Rafael Gatica (Chile), 15-0, 15-0

Liam Evangelista (Mexico) d. Jose Cardona (Guatemala), 15-0, 15-5
Sahil Thakur (USA) d. Sean Sauvé (Canada), 13-15, 15-7, 11-7

Julian Homberger (Costa Rica) d. Javier Nathan (Guatemala), 15-6, 15-1
Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) d. Johan Adamsme (Chile), 15-1, 15-6

Quarterfinals - Thursday

Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico) v. Ian Frattinger (Canada)
Diego Garcia (Bolivia) v. Juan Sebastian Flores (Ecuador)

Liam Evangelista (Mexico) v. Sahil Thakur (USA)
Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) v. Julian Homberger (Costa Rica)

U14 Boy's Singles
Round of 16 - Wednesday

Sebastian Longoria (Mexico) d. Namwoo Lee (South Korea), 15-7, 15-1
Felipe Guillen (Costa Rica) d. Luis Perez (Guatemala), 12-15, 15-3, 11-4

Adrian Jaldin (Bolivia) d. Ben Carey (Ireland), 15-2, 15-5
Antonio Rojas (USA) d. Jack Kearney (Ireland), 15-0, 15-0

Erick Trujillo (Mexico) d. Jaime Mansilla (Chile), 15-3, 15-7
Akul Ramayani (USA) d. Nathan Jauvin (Canada), 15-6, 15-1

Josue Bermeo (Ecuador) d. Pablo Vera (Ecuador), 15-7, 15-14
Hector Barrios (Bolivia) d. Diego Gatica (Chile), 15-0, 15-2

Quarterfinals - Thursday

Sebastian Longoria (Mexico) v. Felipe Guillen (Costa Rica)
Antonio Rojas (USA) v. Adrian Jaldin (Bolivia)

Erick Trujillo (Mexico) v. Akul Ramayani (USA)
Hector Barrios (Bolivia) v. Josue Bermeo (Ecuador)

U18 Girl's Singles
Round of 16 - Wednesday

Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) d. Maria Jose Muñoz (Ecuador), 14-15, 15-9, 11-10

Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) - BYE
Erin Rivera (Mexico) - BYE

Hollie Scott (USA) - BYE
Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia) d. So Eun Lee (South Korea), 15-1, 15-0

Jordan Cooperrider (USA) d. Daniela Herrera (Colombia), 15-1, 15-0
Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) - BYE

Quarterfinals - Thursday

Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. Alexis Iwaasa (Canada)
Erin Rivera (Mexico) v. Valeria Centellas (Bolivia)

Hollie Scott (USA) v. Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia)
Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) v. Jordan Cooperrider (USA)

U16 Girl's Singles
Round of 16 - Wednesday

Laura Flores (Mexico) d. Melissa Barrantes (Costa Rica), 15-7, 15-0
Daniela Herrera (Colombia) d. Camila Wilscam (Canada), 15-12, 14-15, 11-4

Cassie Prentice (Canada) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-3, 15-1
Nikita Chauhan (USA) d. Jazmin Aguilar Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-0

Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia) d. Josefina Toro (Chile), 15-2, 15-1
Briana Jacquet (USA) d. Nathalia Pinero (Ecuador), 15-7, 15-2

Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. Cristina Rivera (Mexico), 15-12, 15-
Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) d. Chaeen Yun (South Korea), 15-1, 15-4

Quarterfinals - Thursday

Laura Flores (Mexico) v. Daniela Herrera (Colombia)
Nikita Chauhan (USA) v. Cassie Prentice (Canada)

Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia) v. Briana Jacquet (USA)
Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) v. Romina Rivero (Bolivia)

U14 Girl's Singles
Round of 16 - Wednesday

Micaela Meneses Cuellar (Bolivia) - BYE
Camila Rivero (Bolivia) d. Chae Yeon Lee (South Korea), 15-0, 15-2

Sofia Freer (Costa Rica) d. Julia Stein (USA), 15-1, 15-2
Karime Arreola (Mexico) d. Aoife Beckett (Ireland), 15-0, 15-0

Annie Roberts (USA) d. Kelly Ann Ryan (Ireland), 15-1, 15-1
Juliette Parent (Canada) d. Jazmin Aguilar Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-6, 15-5

Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) d. Riley Sommerville (Canada), 15-1, 15-0
Guadalupe Griffin (Mexico) - BYE

Quarterfinals - Thursday

Micaela Meneses Cuellar (Bolivia) v. Camila Rivero (Bolivia)
Karime Arreola (Mexico) v. Sofia Freer (Costa Rica)

Annie Roberts (USA) v. Juliette Parent (Canada)
Guadalupe Griffin (Mexico) v. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica)

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