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Individual Results | Doubles Results | Team Results
GOLD FOR US WOMEN, MEN TAKE 5th
The Women's final was a nail-biter. Playing Mexico, with the order of
play 1-2-3, Louisa Hall opened the match against individual champion,
Samantha Teran. Hall played some of her best squash to date, and
charged to a 2-0 lead. But once again Teran's fitness and match
experience came into play, and she took the next two games to level
the match. Hall recovered in the fifth and played as well as she had
to start the match. The game could have swung either way, but Teran
prevailed in the end, sending Mexico to a 1-0 lead. Next came Ivy
Pochoda against Karina Herrara. Using more short shots than length
(what else) Pochoda swept past the Mexican number two in a quick three
games. So once again, it came down to Hope Prockop. Facing off against
junior Sarycarmen Diaz, Prockop kept her nerves in check. Mixing in
boast with some mean volley drops, Prockop sealed the deal for the US
in three games, capping off the women's fourth consecutive gold medal
in Pan American competition.
FINAL MEDAL COUNT FOR US
Women's Individual: Bronze, Louisa Hall
Men's Doubles: Gold, Jamie Crombie & Michael Puertas
Women's Doubles: Gold, Ivy Pochoda & Hope Prockop
Women's Teams: Gold, Louisa Hall, Ivy Pochoda, Hope Prockop & Dana Betts.
Posted by Squash Webmaster.
Both the men's and women's US Teams moved swiftly through their pool
draws. The women took on a two person team from Trinidad & Tobago,
with Dana Betts and Louisa Hall securing easy wins. In their second
match, the US Women faced off against Argentina, a team with a
slightly lopsided ladder. Despite this, Hall, Pochoda and Prockop all
won sending their team into the quaterfinals.
In their pool, the men played Ecuador and Guatemala, matches they won
without dropping a single game.
QUARTERFINALS
The women drew Guatemala for their quarterfinal match. Betts opened up
the match with a 9-2, 9-0, 9-0 victory. Then Hall sent the US Women
into the semis with a routine 3-0 win.
Unfortunately for the men, they were drawn against Canada (who lost
their pool match earilier that morning to Mexico.) Jamie Crombie never
found his sea legs against youngster. Robin Clarke. And despite
rallying from 0-2 in games to 2-2, couldn't close it out in the fifth.
So it fell to Michael Puertas to defeat PSA ranked 18, Graham Ryding.
Although he fought unbelievably hard, especially in the third game,
Puertas went down 0-3 and the US Men were sent into the 5th-8th
playoff.
SEMIFINAL / 5th-8th PLAYOFF
In a nailbiting match, the US Women took on Brazil in their semifinal.
First up was Hall playing savvy veteran. Karen Redfern. Hall played an
excellent first game. But in the second she let up slightly, allowing
Redfern to execute her shortgame. Hall had to come from behind to win
in both the third and the forth game. And eventually took the forth
10-9. Next came Pochoda against Thaisa Serafini. This was a
rollercoaster five gamer, in which both players ran each other into
all corners of the court. But in the final game, Pochoda struggled
with her length, and eventually lost. So it was up to Prockop to save
the day. And she did so in style. Playing some of her best squash (she
made two errors in three games), she defeated Mariani Pontalti and
secured the US Women a spot in tomorrow's final against Mexico.
In their playoff match, the men scored a decisive victory over El
Salvador and will play for 5th place against their absolute favorite
team, Argentina. Should be a thrown down, shirt-pulling extravaganza.
Posted by Squash Webmaster.
BLOG From Ivy Pochoda:
Double Gold for US Teams in Doubles
With all US players out of the singles competition, all focus turned
to our doubles semifinals. The first match was between Pochoda/Prockop and the El Salvadoreans. After opening the match with two serves below
the line, the US Team dropped the first game. However, they came out
strong in the second and won it handily. The final game was a true
nail biter. Down 6-8 (and playing point-a-rally scoring), Pochoda went
for a cross-court nick off of the backwall, which turned the tide of
the match. And the Americans went on to save two match balls,
eventually winning, 11-9.
In their semifinal, Crombie and Puertas took on the Colombians who
played in "I" formation. The first game ended in controversy. Tied at
8-8, the referee gave the players the choice of set one or two. The
Americans chose two and won the game 10-8. At the start of the second
game, the Colombian team manager protested, correctly, that the
tiebreak choices are one or three. But the tournament director verfied
that the game was over and that the players start the second game at
love all. Crombie and Puertas took the second easily, working their
Colombian opponents from side to side.
Down to the glass court for the back to back finals.
First up were the women playing Colombia for the gold medal. Neither
the home crowd nor the switch from side to side to "I" formation could
help the hometown favorites, who quickly succumbed to Pochoda and
Prockop's power. The match ended with a blistering ball up the middle
that clipped one of the Colombians on the left hip.
Next came the men who faced doubles specialists, El Salvador. Due to
the lopsided draw, the US faced this relatively weak opponent in the
final. Crombie and Puertas overwhelmed them with speed and pace,
thanks to their difficult lead up matches. It was over in an instant.
With two gold and Louisa Hall's bronze, the US has jumped into the
lead in the medal count.
Posted by Squash Webmaster.
BLOG From Ivy Pochoda:
This morning saw the opening of the doubles competition. First up were Donegan and Betts, playing the mixed event. Unfortunately they were
out-gunned by Colombian team in a speedy two games. Pochoda and Prockop followed on court. And adhering to their coach, Benoit
Desombre's, wishes, didn't drop a single point against their
Venezuelan opponents.
The match of the day has to be handed to our doubles demigods, Crombie and Puertas, who will have you know that they are ranked 9th in the
world in doubles. They were drawn to play the overly feisty and
somewhat sulky Pezzotta brothers of Argentina. From the first shot,
it was a physical battle, complete with theatrical blocking and some
shirt pulling, not to mention questionable refereeing. But Team USA
prevailed in two games sending the petulant Pezzottas packing.
Back to the show court for Louisa Hall's semifinal against Samantha
Teran. Hall played a controlled first game, winning it 9-5.
Unfortunately for Hall, Teran, a full time WISPA player, showed the
mental toughness she has acquired on tour, and took the next three
games—the last two of which were extremely close.
Posted by Squash Webmaster.
BLOG From Ivy Pochoda:
It was a sad day for the Canadian women's team as Louisa Hall and Ivy
Pochoda, playing on adjoining courts, ended the hopes of Ruchika Kumar and Tara Mullins. While Hall closed our her match in a steady,
controlled three games, Pochoda had to overcome a small mental flap in
the second game, before going on to win in four.
Unfortunately, day two ended the run of the remaining three U.S. men. Donegan didn't have much of a chance in his match against Jonathon
Power. In fact, the former World number one, didn't allow the young
American a single point in three games. Too bad we won't get to see
more of Christopher Gordon's joke penetration (length, that is) until
the team event, as he lost to Dave Phillips of Canada. It wasn't the
best showing for Gordon, who went down 1-3. On the bright side, this
will give Gordon a few extra days to scope the local talent which
could help him relax for team play.
In a reversal of last year's result, Michael Puertas lost to Jorge
Balthazar of Mexico, a player who thrives at altitude. Puertas played
well to open the match and took the first game. But the thin air got
the better of him, and breathing a little bit like Darth Vader, he
watched as Balthazar ran away with the next three games.
For their quarterfinal matches, Hall and Pochoda were dispatched to
the glass show court in the center of town. The organizing committee
failed to mention that the court adjoined the local soccer stadium
where 60,000 drunken fans were watching the most hotly contest match
of the year. The players made it to the court on time, navigating
their way through road blocks guarded by police with AK-47s. While
guards with rottweilers looked on, Pochoda went up 8-1 against number
one seed, Samantha Teran. Although she played some of her strongest
squash to date, Pochoda somehow managed to lose the game, and then the
match in a very close three. Hall followed on court, playing the
Colombian number one Silvia Angulo. Bolstered by the locals, Angulo
pressed Hall to four with her tricky front court game. But Hall won
out in the end, and secured a spot in tonight's semifinal.
Posted by Squash Webmaster.
BLOG From Ivy Pochoda:
Dana Betts opened up the action for Team U.S.A. against Luz
Echechoury, the number one player from Argentina—known to some as "The
Gloved Wonder." Up two games to one, Betts, who is playing in her
first international team event since her juniors days, succumbed to
her opponent's considerable experience. Betts played extremely well at
times, often out-hitting her opponent, but seemed to lose focus
towards the end of the final two games. Next up was Ryan Donegan,
representing the U.S. for the first time. Ryan waltzed through his
first round, shutting down Gabriel Teran of Venezuela in a handy three
games.
The ageless Jamie Crombie, our eternal competitor , took to the court
against Argentinean veteran Frederico Uzandazaga. This promised to be
the match of the day. But after Crombie, relishing in the altitude,
took the first, Uzandazaga, who hasn't played competitively in five
years, retired with a strained hamstring.
Both Louisa Hall and Ivy Pochoda won their opening matches in a handy
three games. Hall defeated Elisanglea Souza of Brazil, while Pochoda
punished Tessa Martin, a junior from Trinidad and Tobago who didn't
have much interest in visiting the front of the court.
Unfortunately, Hope Prockop was drawn to play the number one seed Samantha Teran of Mexico. Although she lost in three, Prockop put up a
remarkable fight in the second and third games, losing them 9-5, 9-6.
Back to the men. The always amusing Christopher Gordon played one of
the few players taller than himself, Shawn Simpson of Barbados, who
stands nearly six foot seven. It looked from the start that Simpson
would tirelessly retrieve all of Gordon's shots. But quickly the young
American got the better of his opponent in three games, punishing him
with his penetrating length. Jamie Crombie, yet again the victim of a
bad draw, fell in four games to Jose Becerrill of Mexico in four
games. Despite complaining that he was moving like an elephant, Michael Puertas took little time in dispatching his Peruvian opponent
in three games. Finally, Ryan Donegan made it an all around bad day
for team Venezuela, trumping another one of their players, Francisco
Vanlencillo in three games.
Posted by Squash Webmaster.
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