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| 2002 Double's Selection Event - February 24, 2002 |
| News | Photos | Final Results |
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February 24, 2002 Upsets Abound at Racquetball Canada Doubles Selection Event Saskatoon, SK - Canada's top players battled it out this weekend for the right to represent Canada at the Tournament of the Americas in Bolivia next month. The top seeded women were able to defend their national title, but the men's division was another story. A new team emerged as the victor after this weekend's on-court battles. World Champion Mike Green (Burlington) and his new partner Tom O'Brien (Burlington) won the event with a decisive 15-10,15-12 win over another Ontario team, Mike Ceresia (Burlington) and Corey Osborne (Penetanquishene). Green and O'Brien struggled earlier in the weekend, staging a 11-8 tiebreaker win over Kris Odegard and Ryan Powell (Saskatoon) after losing the second game 15-1. Green and O'Brien were also severely tested In the semis, where they met the top seeded men's team - current Canadian champions Kane Waselenchuk (Edmonton) and Brian Istace (Calgary). Once they were past the Albertans, their final match was against Ceresia, who is Green's World Championship partner, and Osborne, who is O'Brien's former doubles partner. Green and O'Brien ran up impressive early leads in both games, and Ceresia and Osborne were unable to stage a comeback. In the women's doubles, the main surprise in the first round was the Neubauer sisters from Calgary. Julie, a member of Racquetball Canada's Espoir Team, coaxed older sister Leeanne out of retirement, and the two over-powered World Junior Doubles Champ Brandi Jacobson Prentice (Saskatoon) and her partner Linda Ellerington. But the sisters couldn't maintain the pace against World Champs Amanda MacDonald and Karina Odegard (Saskatchewan) in the semis. The finals saw MacDonald and Odegard defending their title against another new team, singles champ Jennifer Saunders of Winnipeg and former Canadian national Champ Lori-Jane Powell of Calgary. After winning their semis, Powell said (http://www.powell-performance.com) "[Jen and I] both became more comfortable with each other and I started to adjust to the forehand side. I am playing the forehand because of my current knee injury which is not letting me hit proper backhands yet." But MacDonald and Odegard showed their World Class doubles abilities as they dominated the final match, winning in two straight games. Later this week, Head Coach Ron Brown will announce the names of the four men and four women who will represent Canada at the Tournament of the Americas, March 20-31, in Bolivia. RACQUETBALL CANADA DOUBLES TEAM SELECTION EVENT Saskatoon, Saskatchewan February 22-24, 2002 Men's Finals Mike Green (Burlington) & Tom O'Brien (Burlington) defeated Mike Ceresia (Burlington) & Corey Osborne (Penetanquishene) 15-10, 15-12 Women's Finals Amanda MacDonald (Prince Albert) & Karina Odegard (Saskatoon) defeated Jennifer Saunders (Winnipeg) & Lori-Jane Powell (Calgary) 15-9, 15-10 Men's Third Place Brian Istace (Calgary) & Kane Waselenchuk (Edmonton) defeated Bill Shepley (Calgary) & Mike McPhee (Calgary) 15-10, 22-20 -30- Draw sheets are available at http://www.racquetball.ca ; comments from Ms Powell available at http://www.powell-performance.com ; further information available from Racquetball Canada's director of communications Cheryl McKeeman at 604-323-5429 |
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