67th USHA National Three-Wall Championships

zekonja September 6, 2017 News
Dane Szatkowski shoots against Braulio Ruiz in the Men’s Open Quarterfinals.  

FRIDAY
MAUMEE, Ohio — Tiebreakers ruled the outcome of many matches on the second day of play at the 67th USHA National Three-Wall Championships.  In Men’s Open singles, many fans cleared the stands thinking Dane Szatkowski’s run would end in the quarterfinals to Braulio Ruiz.  Losing 11-21 and down 17-13 in the second, the match appeared to be wrapping, but impossible situations are exactly where Szatkowski thrives.  Fighting off match point, Szatkowski took the second game, 21-20.  In the tiebreaker, Szatkowski’s serve started heating up, but Ruiz delivered a flat rollout to even the score at 5-5 to force a Szatkowski time out.  When play resumed, Szatkowski completed a 6-2 run, only yielding a side out and two points before acing match point.  Szatkowski will meet Tyree Bastidas in Saturday’s semifinal. 

     In the other half of the draw, Marco Lemus and Jurell Bastidas delivered the next thriller.  After a big 21-6 game one victory, it seemed Bastidas would walk into the semis.  But Lemus battled back in the second, holding off match point and finishing a 21-20 win to earn a third game.  The tiebreaker was the same tense affair, with both players trading rallies and each having the chance to move onto the semifinals.  Bastidas’ experience proved to be the deciding factor as he scored the final point.  Bastidas will face Sean Lenning in the other semifinal. 
     See results HERE.
 
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