The Women’s Team final at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile will be a re-match of the final from four years ago, as Mexico will face off with Argentina again. Mexico won in Lima in 2019, but Argentina will look to change that on Thursday.
Both Mexico and Argentina reached the final by winning their respective semi-finals in two straight matches. Mexican Montserrat Mejia beat American Michelle Key, 11-9, 11-8, 11-4, in the first match, and then teamed up with Alexandra Herrera to defeat Key and Erika Manilla in doubles, 5-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8.
Argentina’s Maria José Vargas beat Independent Athletes Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6. Then Vargas and Natalia Mendez defeated Rodriguez and Gabriela Martinez, 11-9, 11-9, 11-8, in what was a re-match of yesterday’s Women’s Doubles gold medal match that Rodriguez and Martinez won.
Bolivia is the current Pan Am Games Men’s Team champion, and they will have a chance to defend that title, as they defeated the USA in the semi-finals, but they needed three matches to get that chance.
Bolivian Carlos Keller beat American Adam Manilla in the first match of their semi 11-8, 11-9, 11-6, but the USA’s Daniel De La Rosa and Alejandro Landa evened the match by winning doubles in a tie-breaker against Kadim Carrasco and Conrrado Moscoso, 11-5, 10-12, 12-10, 11-13, 11-4. The deciding match also went to a tie-breaker with Moscoso defeating De La Rosa, 11-5, 11-8, 9-11, 8-11, 11-6.
After winning two Pan Am Games Men’s Team titles, Mexico will not be in the final for a second games running, as Canada defeated Mexico in the semi-finals, 2 matches to 1. Mexican Eduardo Portillo defeated Canadian Coby Iwaasa, 11-8, 16-14, 11-8, in the first match, but Iwaasa and Samuel Murray evened the semi by beating Javier Mar and Rodrigo Montoya, 11-6, 11-7, 11-4. In the deciding match, Murray got the win over Montoya, 12-10, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9, to put Canada in a Pan Am Games Men’s Team final for the first time since 1995, the first year racquetball was in the Pan Am Games.
The team competition finals will have the #1 singles players playing first, #2 singles players second, and then the doubles team, if necessary.
2023 Pan American Games - Santiago, Chile
Note: all times are Chilean time, which is one hour earlier than Eastern time in North America.
Men’s Team - Semi-finals - Wednesday
4) Canada d. 1) Mexico, 2-1
2) Bolivia d. 3) USA, 2-1
Men’s Team - Final - Thursday
2) Bolivia v. 4) Canada
Carlos Keller v. Coby Iwaasa - 11:45 AM
Samuel Murray v. Conrrado Moscoso - 1:15 PM
Kadim Carrasco & Conrrado Moscoso v. Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray - 2:45 PM, if necessary
Women’s Team - Semi-finals - Wednesday
1) Mexico d. 5) USA, 2-0
2) Argentina d. 3) Independent Athletes, 2-0
Women’s Team - Final - Thursday
1) Mexico v. 2) Argentina
Montserrat Mejia v. Maria José Vargas - 11 AM
Paola Longoria v. Natalia Mendez - 12:30 PM
Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia - 2 PM, if necessary
Follow the bouncing ball....
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