Saturday, March 31, 2012

Allen & Jackson win singles & doubles Intercollegiate titles

Jansen Allen (Colorado State, Pueblo) and Sharon Jackson (Alabama) are the new USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Champions in men's and women's singles as last year's champions - Taylor Knoth (Oregon State) and Danielle Key (Arizona State) - both lost in the finals of the 2012 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. Moreover, Allen and Jackson both won their respective doubles titles too.

Allen, the 2nd seed, needed a tie-breaker to deny top seed Knoth's title defense, winning 15-11, 13-15, 11-0. Allen's the first Colorado State, Pueblo player to win the men's title since Ben Croft did it in 2007.

Allen then beat Knoth a second time, as he and Nick Montalbano beat Knoth and Grant Stalley, 15-6, 15-7. The win was Allen's second consecutive and third in four years, as he won last year with Felipe Camacho and with Tony Carson in 2009. Allen was also in the 2010 doubles final, but he and Tyler Otto lost to David Horn and Jose Rojas of Delta College.

On the women's side, Jackson won her second Intercollegiate title by stopping Key from a successful title defense on Key's home court. Jackson won in two close games, 15-12, 15-13.

In doubles, Jackson's gone one better than Allen, as she won her 4th consecutive Intercollegiate doubles title, and Sheryl Lotts of Baldwin Wallace was again on the losing side, as she had been the last three years. Saturday, Jackson and Madeleine Angles defeated Lotts and Molly Haragan by the closest of margins: one point in the tie-breaker, winning 15-7, 3-15, 11-10.

Jackson's previous doubles titles came with Brittany Travers last year and Kara Mazur in 2010 and 2009.

With four years of Intercollegiate competition, Allen and Jackson will not be able to defend their titles next year, ensuring there will be different champions in 2013.

2012 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona

Men's Singles

Final:
Jansen Allen (Colorado State, Pueblo) d. Taylor Knoth (Oregon State), 15-11, 13-15, 11-0

3rd Place: John Craig Chisholm (Boston Univ.) d. Jose Diaz (Delta College), forfeit

Men's Doubles

Final:
Jansen Allen & Nick Montalbano (Colorado State, Pueblo) d. Grant Stalley & Taylor Knoth (Oregon State), 15-6, 15-7

3rd place: Brad Falvey & Danny Lavely (Alabama) d. Cole Burr & Joseph Blank (Brigham Young), 15-5, 15-11

Women's Singles

Final:
Sharon Jackson (Alabama) d. Danielle Key (Arizona State), 15-12, 15-13

3rd place: Sheryl Lotts (Baldwin Wallace) d. Hailey Miller (Oregon), 15-13, 15-8

Women's Doubles

Final:
Madeleine Angles & Sharon Jackson (University of Alabama) d.
Molly Haragan & Sheryl Lotts (Baldwin Wallace), 15-7, 3-15, 11-10

3rd place: Danielle Key & Izayadeth Aguayo (Arizona State) d. Leah Redwine & Hailey Miller (University Of Oregon), 14-15, 15-7, 11-9

Follow the bouncing ball....

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