Friday, February 12, 2016

2016 USA Racquetball Doubles Championships - Friday

Aimee Ruiz and Janel Tisinger will have a chance to win their 3rd USA Women’s Doubles title in four years Saturday at the USA Racquetball National Doubles Championships in Tempe, Arizona, as they defeated Da’monique Davis and Jackie Paraiso, 15-4, 15-7, in the semi-finals on Friday.

Their opponents in the final are Rhonda Rajsich and Sheryl Lotts, who beat sisters Danielle and Michelle Key, 15-4, 15-4, in the other semi. Rajsich is one of the defending champions, as she won the title last year with Kim Waselenchuk, which was their second win, as their first came in 2012.

In Men’s Doubles, Jose Rojas’s run of titles ends at two, as he and brother Marco lost in the semi-finals to Jake Bredenbeck and Jose Diaz, 15-5, 15-7. In perhaps a touch of irony, the two men Jose Rojas has won doubles with the last two years - Jansen Allen and Rocky Carson - have teamed up, and they will play Bredenbeck and Diaz in the final, as the beat Anthony Herrera and David Horn, 15-9, 15-3, in the other semi-final.

If Carson wins, it will be his 9th title. He’s won six times with Jack Huczek, and once with Ben Croft and Rojas. Allen has won twice before. He won with Tony Carson (no relation to Rocky) and with Rojas.

Singles Play

In Women’s Singles, one semi-final is a contest between two veterans and one is between two young players. On the top of the draw, Rajsich will play Cheryl Gudinas, while on the bottom of the draw, Sharon Jackson will face Sheryl Lotts.

In the quarterfinals, Lotts was the upset winner over 3rd seed Michelle Key, 15-8, 15-7, while the other matches were won by the higher seed. Jackson played the closest match, as she narrowly defeated Jackie Paraiso, 15-12, 15-14. Lotts and Jackson were both Intercollegiate Champions. Jackson won twice, in 2012, and 2010, while Lotts won the title in 2009.

Jose Diaz was the upset winner in Men’s Singles, as he defeated Jansen Allen, 15-14, 13-15, 11-7, to move on to the semi-finals, where he face 2nd seed Rocky Carson, who was a 15-3, 15-10, winner over Jake Bredenebeck.

Jose Rojas needed at tie-breaker to win his quarterfinal match against David Horn, 15-8, 8-15, 11-6, and will play either his brother Marco or Mauricio Zelada.

Play continues Saturday, and you can watch some of the action live from Tempe via the USA Racquetball website.

2016 USA Racquetball National Doubles Championships
Tempe, Arizona
US National Team Divisions

Men's Doubles


Semi-finals - Friday

1) Jansen Allen & Rocky Carson d. 5) Anthony Herrera & David Horn, 15-9, 15-3
3) Jake Bredenbeck & Jose Diaz d. 2) Marco Rojas & Jose Rojas, 15-5, 15-7

Final - Saturday

1) Jansen Allen & Rocky Carson v. 3) Jake Bredenbeck & Jose Diaz

Women's Doubles

Semi-finals - Friday

1) Aimee Ruiz & Janel Tisinger d. 5) Da’monique Davis & Jacqueline Paraiso, 15-4, 15-7
2) Rhonda Rajsich & Sheryl Lotts d. 3) Danielle Key & Michelle Key, 15-4, 15-4

Final - Saturday

1) Aimee Ruiz & Janel Tisinger v. 2) Rhonda Rajsich & Sheryl Lotts

Men’s Singles

Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Jose Rojas d. 8) David Horn, 15-8, 8-15, 11-6
4) Mauricio Zelada v. 5) Marco Rojas

6) Jose Diaz d. 3) Jansen Allen, 15-14, 13-15, 11-7
2) Rocky Carson d. 7) Jake Bredenbeck, 15-3, 15-10

Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Jose Rojas v. 4) Mauricio Zelada or 5) Marco Rojas
2) Rocky Carson v. 6) Jose Diaz

Women's Singles

Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Rhonda Rajsich d. 8) Kelani Bailey, 15-8, 15-5
4) Cheryl Gudinas d. 5) Da’monique Davis, 15-14, 15-7

6) Sheryl Lotts d. 3) Michelle Key, 15-8, 15-7
2) Sharon Jackson d. 10) Jacqueline Paraiso, 15-12, 15-14

Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Rhonda Rajsich v. 4) Cheryl Gudinas
2) Sharon Jackson v. 6) Sheryl Lotts

Follow the bouncing ball....

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