Thursday, April 17, 2014

PARC XXVII Pan Am Championships - Women's doubles quarterfinals

Two upsets on the bottom of the women's doubles draw at the XXVII Pan American Racquetball Championships in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, although the outcomes aren't too surprising given those involved.

But it is surprising whenever the USA loses a racquetball match, especially when Rhonda Rajsich - one of the best ever players - is involved. Yet that's what happened Thursday, as Veronica Sotomayor and Maria Paz Muñoz of Ecuador defeated Rajsich and Janel Tisinger, 15-8, 7-15, 11-6, in the quarterfinals.

Ecuador will play the Argentine team of Maria Jose Vargas and Véronique Guillemette, who were winners over Bolivians Jenny Daza and Carola Loma, 15-8, 15-10, in the semi-finals on Friday.

Mexicans Susana Acosta and Samantha Salas Solis - the #1 seeds - defeated Melania Sauma and Sofia Soley of Costa Rica, 15-2, 15-7, in their quarterfinal, and will face Canadians Frédérique Lambert and Josée Grand'Maître in the other semi-finals, as Canada beat Cristina Amaya and Carolina Gomez of Colombia, 12-15, 15-5, 11-7.

Of the players remaining, only the Mexicans have won the Pan Am Championship before. Acosta and Salas Solis have each won gold in women's doubles three times, but only once did they win together. That was in 2010.

Argentina and Ecuador haven't ever won women's doubles at the Pan Am Championships, and Canada hasn't won it since 2002, when Lori-Jane Powell and Karina Odegard won gold.

The semi-finals will be 3 PM Friday and will be live via the IRT Network.

XXVII Pan American Racquetball Championships
Santa Cruz, Bolivia - April 12-19, 2014


Women's Doubles - Quarterfinals

Susana Acosta & Samantha Salas Solis (Mexico) d. Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-2, 15-7
Frédérique Lambert & Josée Grand'Maître (Canada) d. Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia), 12-15, 15-5, 11-7

Maria Jose Vargas & Véronique Guillemette (Argentina) d. Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia), 15-8, 15-10
Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) d. Rhonda Rajsich & Janel Tisinger (USA), 15-8, 7-15, 11-6

Women's Doubles - Semi-finals

Susana Acosta & Samantha Salas Solis (Mexico) v. Frédérique Lambert & Josée Grand'Maître (Canada)
Maria Jose Vargas & Véronique Guillemette (Argentina) v. Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador)

Follow the bouncing ball....

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