The 2016 Race 4 Eight NYAC produced sensational handball on the court and even more sensational contributions off the court. Paul Brady bounced back, Catriona Casey continued to dominate, the race for Portland is heating up, and much more. Read all of DF’s top moments from the 2016 R48 NYAC below.
Brady Bounces Back: Brady showed that he can not only dominate, but also bounce-back from defeat, as “The Gunner” shot down Southern California sharpshooter Mando Ortiz just three weeks after falling to Ortiz in a thrilling tiebreaker in Houston. Brady played like a man on a mission in the final, overwhelming Ortiz with brilliant serving, defense, speed, and offense
NYAC Hospitality: The NYAC tournament committee and Killer’s Club ensured that players and fans were provided with an endless stream of food and spirits, as each meal throughout the weekend was magnificently catered with sensational food. The NYAC tournament committee also hosted a spectacular Saturday evening banquet, followed by an after-party at the Killer’s Club. Thank you to John Duggan, Tommy Smario, John Moran, Carl Obert, and the rest of the Killer’s Club
R48 NYAC Qualifier: The R48 NYAC qualifier featured 16 former qualifiers, including former WPH #1 Allan Garner, former Elite 8 invites Luis Cordova, Stephen Cooney, Marcos Chavez, and Jonathan Iglesias, as well as top players from Canada, Ireland and Mexico. “In my 30 years on the pro tour, this was the strongest qualifier I’ve ever seen,” stated Dan Armijo
Casey Clinches #8: After relinquishing her undefeated WR48 record at October’s Simple Green U.S. Open WR48 III Stop 1 in a thrilling tiebreaker, Casey rebounded at the WR48 III Stop #2 NYAC, outscoring her opponents 126-27 en route to her eighth WR48 title in nine starts. Casey now holds an astounding 27-1 career WR48 title and will aim for her third consecutive WR48 Player’s Championship in Portland in May
Cinderella Schneider: Unsure if he’d even be able to play in the NYAC qualifier due to a bothersome knee, New York’s Mike Schneider faced match point in his first qualifier match against Juarez’s Juan Canales. Schneider survived against Canales in overtime, defeated Ireland’s Michael Gregan to qualify, and shocked R48 #2 Sean Lenning in the opening round. Schneider finished a career-best sixth and proved that he’s capable of taking down anyone on the R48 tour
Sandy Ng vs. Tracy Davis: The WR48 quarterfinal between New York outdoor star Sandy Ng and the NYAC’s outdoor handball legend Tracy Davis produced the best match of the tournament, as two of the game’s greatest women’s players battled for more than two hours in a dramatic and riveting showdown. After splitting the first two games, Ng reached match point at 10-9 in the tiebreaker, just one point from her first WR48 semifinal. Davis repeatedly pinned Ng on the left-side glass wall with overhand drives, but Ng managed to scrape one return after another into play to prevent Davis from reaching match point at 10-10. Ng closed out the match on her fifth match point, earning the best 4-Wall win of her career and announcing herself as a force on the WR48
The Race for Portland’s Elite 8: With Paul Brady, Mando Ortiz, Sean Lenning, Killian Carroll, Luis Moreno, and Emmett Peixoto already clinching their invitations to Portland’s R48 Player’s Championship, the battle for the final two Portland invites comes down to two brothers and a R48 Elite 8 veteran. Luis Cordova, Daniel Cordova, and David Fink left New York tied with 10 R48 V points each heading into the final R48 V regular season event in Salt Lake City in April, meaning the two highest finishers in Salt Lake City amongst the three will earn a Player’s Championship invite
WPH NYAC Volunteers: The R48 V NYAC was successful in large part due to the efforts of several WPH volunteers, who ensured that matches had referees, broadcasters, and line judges. Huge thanks to Allan Garner, Marcos Chavez, and Babalola Ajisafe for ensuring the 2016 NYAC was a sensational event
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