Tucson, AZ, WPH Press, 4/17/18– The 2018 Race 4 Eight NYAC produced several of the most memorable matches and moments in the history of the Race 4 Eight tour, as the R48 Men and WR48 stars battled in the Big Apple. Check out the highlights from the NYAC below.
Catriona Casey Takes Down a R48 Men’s Pro and Dominates the WR48: Catriona Casey entered the R48 NYAC Qualifier and nearly advanced to the qualifier final, losing a close match to then #21 Ryan Bowler. Casey faced then R48 #22 Loren Collado in the 17th place playoffs and became the first woman to defeat a current men’s pro in tournament play in the history of handball. Casey built a 15-2 lead in the one game match to 25 against the Northern Californian and held off the lanky superstar’s second half run to make history. Casey would then defeat Kevin Kopchuk in the next round before falling to Michael Gaulton. In the WR48, Casey equaled her record-setting winning score in San Francisco ’15, outscoring her three opponents 90-7 in three matches en route to her 14th WR48 title at the NYAC. Casey continues to push the game to new levels, establishing herself as the most dominant force in the history of the sport.
Suz Koehler and Daniel Cordova Reach Their First Finals: The World’s Most Interesting Woman, Suz Koehler, had never finished better than 7th in a WR48 event but entered the ’18 NYAC white hot, having won the USHA Women’s Classic and the MO State Singles in the weeks leading up to the NYAC. Koehler ousted future Hall of Famer Tracy Davis for the first time in the NYAC quarterfinals and overcame cross over star Danielle Daskalakis in a thrilling 15-10 tiebreaker in the semifinals to book her first finals ticket. “I feel like I’m on cloud nine right now going to the finals!” declared Koehler.
Daniel Cordova had advanced to just two R48 semifinals in his career, but took his game to another level in New York, dominating all three of his opponents in two games en route to the final. Danos flashed the talent that has been apparent on the tour for years in his three New York wins and despite losing to R48 #1 Killian Carroll in the final, moved to #4 in the R48 rankings, his highest ever R48 ranking.
Vic Perez and Marcos Chavez Play an Epic with a Spot in the Elite 8 on the Line: Vic Perez upset Sean Lenning in the opening round to setup a clash with his LAAC teammate Marcos Chavez in the quarterfinals with a spot in the R48 Elite 8 on the line. Perez and Chavez played a two-hour, three game thriller in the season’s first stop in Atlanta and New York’s quarterfinal would be no different, as Perez took game one, Chavez took game two, and Chavez stood at match point at 14-13 two hours and five minutes into the match in game three. Chavez was unable to convert, as Perez earned a side out and scored four of the next five points of the match to win 17-15 in overtime. “This is exactly what happened when we played last year in New York,” lamented Chavez. Fans will not have to wait long for the next installment of this rivalry, as Perez and Chavez will square off in the round of 16 in Salt Lake City. Killian Carroll Continues to Dominate:Killian Carroll advanced to a R48 record 10th consecutive final in New York, surviving a tiebreaker against the resurgent Emmett Peixoto in the semifinals to meet Danos Cordova in the final. Carroll picked up his eighth R48 title in the last 10 R48 events in New York and his ninth R48 title overall, establishing himself as the third most winning R48 player in the history of the tour at just 24 years of age.
Luis Cordova and Jon Iglesias in a Prime-time Street Fight: The final R48 Men’s round of 16 match on Friday night pitted R48 rivals Luis Cordova and Jon Iglesias. Finishing well past 10 pm, Mexico’s Luis Cordova and the NYAC’s Jon Iglesias put their bodies on the line with every point during the two-hour, three-game classic, with both players diving during virtually every rally. Iglesias lead 15-11, 10-10, standing just five points from his first round of 16 win of the season, but the always composed Lucho rallied, forcing a third game and overcoming the New York star to advance to his sixth quarterfinal of the season.
To read daily recaps from Thursday–Sunday in New York, go here
To enter the May 4-6 2018 Race 4 Eight Salt Lake City Aces Player’s Championship, go here
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer