Racquetball Canada – Saunders & Murray Finish in Top Spots at National Team Selection Event
Winnipeg, February 4, 2019 – Jennifer Saunders of Winnipeg and Samuel Murray of Baie-Comeau won their respective events at Racquetball Canada’s National Team Selection Event this past weekend. Canada’s top athletes competed in the tournament, which ran February 1 and 2 at the Eastlink Centre in Grand Prairie, AB.
Jennifer Saunders and fellow Winnipeg athlete Christine Richardson faced off in Saturday’s Women’s Open final. Saunders was in control in the first game winning 15-3 but Richardson came out strong in the second game, winning15-12. Richardson was ahead in the tie-breaker 8-5 but Saunders chipped away to come back to win 11-8. Saunders is the reigning Canadian Women’s Open Singles Champion, a title that she has won ten times in her career in addition to her twelve Women’s Open Doubles titles.
Michèle Morissette of Baie-Comeau finished in third place with a win over Saskatoon’s Danielle Drury with scores of 17-15, 15-10.
Samuel Murray defeated Coby Iwaasa of Lethbridge in the Men’s Open final in two games with scores of 15-10, 15-10. Murray got off to a strong start in the first game but Iwaasa didn’t make it easy. It was a back and forth battle in the second game before Murray took control. Murray won his first Canadian Men’s Open title in 2018, and has won several prior National Team Selection Events. He is also ranked 8th on the International Racquetball Tour.
Pedro Castro of Brossard came in third after defeating Trevor Webb of Cambridge 15-6, 15-11.
Results from the National Team Selection Event will be used to determine teams for international competition in 2019 including the Pan Am Championships and Canada’s team for the 2019 Pan Am Games.
Tournament Results: http://www.r2sports.com/website/event-results.asp?TID=30072
Men’s Open Singles Results
Gold Medal Match
(1) Samuel Murray (Baie-Comeau, QC) defeated (2) Coby Iwaasa (Lethbridge, AB), 15-10, 15-10.
Bronze Medal Match
(4) Pedro Castro (Brossard, QC) defeated (6)Trevor Webb (Cambridge, ON), 15-6, 15-11.
Semi Finals
(1) Murray defeated (4) Castro, 15-6, 15-9.
(2) Iwaasa defeated (6) Webb, 15-4,14-16, 11-9.
Quarter Finals
(1)Murray defeated (8) Tanner Prentice (Macrorie, SK), 15-7, 15-2;
(2) Coby Iwaasa defeated (7) Lee Connell (Saskatoon, SK), 15-4, 15-0;
(6) Webb defeated (3) Tim Landeryou (Saskatoon, SK), 15-11, 15-8;
(4) Castro defeated (5) Nicolas Bousquet (Montréal, QC), 15-13, 15-2.
Round of 16
(1) Murray , bye
(2) Iwaasa, bye
(3) Landeryou. bye
(4) Castro, bye
(5) Bosquet, bye
(6) Webb defeated (11) Jeff Buller (Grand Prairie, AB), 15-2, 15-5;
(7) Connell defeated (10) Ian Frattinger (Martensville, SK), 15-12, 15-11;
((8) Prentice defeated (9) Michael Leduc (Québec, QC), 11-15, 15-6, 11-1.
Women’s Open Singles Results
Gold Medal Match
(1) Jennifer Saunders (Winnipeg, MB) defeated (2) Christine Richardson (Winnipeg, MB), 15-3, 12-15, 11-8.
Bronze Medal Match
(4) Michèle Morissette (Baie-Comeau, QC) defeated (3) Danielle Drury (Saskatoon, SK), 17-15, 15-10.
Round Robin
Pool 1
(1) Saunders defeated (5) Erin Geeraert (Calgary, AB), 15-12, 15-11;
(4) Morissette defeated (5) Geeraert, 10-15, 15-3, 11-5;
(1) Saunders defeated (4) Morissette, 15-7, 15-2.
Pool 2
(2) Richardson defeated (6) Cassie Prentice (Macrorie, SK), 15-5, 16-14;
(3) Drury defeated (6) Prentice, 15-1, 15-3;
(2) Richardson defeated (3) Drury, 15-11, 15-10.
Classement du simple masculine ouvert
1. Samuel Murray (Baie-Comeau, QC)
2. Coby Iwaasa (Lethbridge, AB)
3. Pedro Castro (Brossard, QC)
4. Trevor Webb (Cambridge, ON)
5. Tim Landeryou (Saskatoon, SK)
6. Nicolas Bouquet (Montréal, QC)
7. Lee Connell (Saskatoon, SK)
8. Tanner Prentice (Macrorie, SK)
9. Ian Frattinger (Martensville, SK)
10. Michael Leduc (Québec, QC)
11. Jeff Buller (Grand Prairie, AB)
Classement du simple féminin ouvert
1. Jen Saunders (Winnipeg, MB)
2. Christine Richardson (Winnipeg, MB)
3. Michèle Morissette (Baie-Comeau, QC)
4. Danielle Drury (Saskatoon, SK)
5. Erin Geeraert (Calgary, AB)
6. Cassie Prentice (Macrorie, SK)
Racquetball Canada is the national sport governing body for the sport of Racquetball in Canada. Along with the support of the Government of Canada and many valued partners, Racquetball Canada develops competitive national teams and oversees programs that grow the sport of racquetball in Canada. For more information visit our website.
Media Contact:
Jan Hanson
Director of Communications and Marketing
Racquetball Canada Board of Directors
RballCanadaComms@gmail.com I 306.502.4422