When tournament organizer Eddie Meredith heard about the new ladies pro tour, it didn’t take him long to decide to turn his long-running Lynmar Classic event into the second stop of the season. With LPRA Commissioner Jim Hiser in offices right there in town, it was simple for the two to “conference” on the project and soon Eddie was out pounding the pavement for sponsors and donors to support the cause. He quickly raised the necessary cash and brought the ladies into the Springs in early November. In early round play, current and former U.S. Junior Team members logged upsets over higher seeds to advance into a much tougher round of 16. First-time U.S. National Team member Rhonda Rajsich defeated long-time Canadian counterpart Lori-Jane Powell of Calgary, Alberta. Also a former junior national team member, Rajsich dropped the third game of their match before taking her win in four. Later in the day, however, Rajsich was defeated by No.4 seeded Kersten Hallander of San Diego, California, but continued to advance in Mixed Open doubles with pick-up partner John Vohland of Colorado Springs.
Recently awarded the USRA's Junior Athlete of the Year award, tour novice Kristen Walsh also took a win over tour veteran, Angela Burth of Las Vegas, Nevada, in four games. A native of Salt Lake City (now attending college in Berea, Ohio), Walsh lost the second game of her match against Burth. Mom Marianne Walsh was on the sidelines, but only briefly, before taking to a side court to enter her own advance in the Women's Open division with a win over Cindy Tilbury of Denver, 15-11, 15-14.
Long Saturday
After Laura Fenton upset No.4 seeded Kersten Hallander early on Saturday to advance into the semi-final, she then fell at the hands of her doubles partner and No.1 seeded Jackie Paraiso later in the day. Current National Doubles champions, the two are very well acquainted with each other's game styles, and Paraiso made quick work of her co-champion to advance into the final against top Canadian rival Christie Van Hees.
Van Hees defeated fellow Canadian team member Josee Grand'maitre in their earlier quarterfinal to go up against No.2 seeded Cheryl Gudinas. At the 1999 Pan American Games, Gudinas had defeated the then-current '98 World Champion Van Hees on a controversial rules call, and most recently snatched Van Hees' world singles crown at the 2000 World Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico in August. Since then, Van Hees had only logged one win (for the crucial World Cup team championship round) against Gudinas —until this weekend.
At the first stop of the new LPRA season in Albuquerque just two weeks prior, Van Hees had seen an early exit after being defeated by Laura Fenton. In the Springs, Van Hees' seemed more comfortable with the new format, as she upset her long-time rival Gudinas in straight games.
Rematch Final
In their first meeting since the final of the ‘99 U.S. OPEN, Van Hees took a five-game tiebreaker win over Paraiso. Van Hees was thrilled to have finally made a successful transition to the new scoring syste.
"It [scoring on every rally] makes you really concentrate on keeping the ball in play until you can end a rally in your favor," said Van Hees. "When your mistakes count against you, you don't take as many risks. It takes some getting used to."
"I really don't like the new scoring," admitted Paraiso — who had also placed second in Albuquerque to Cheryl Gudinas — "If I'm having a good run on serve, it's hard to give it up at the end of your turn and then play defense for five points."
Clearly disappointed in her second finals loss in the new season, Paraiso remained stoic "I want to support the new tour and all the changes that we're experimenting with - but I'd still like to win!"
LYNMAR CLASSIC
#3 Christie Van Hees (Vancouver, British Columbia) def. #1 Jackie Paraiso (San Diego, California) 15-21, 23-21, 21-19, 18-21, 21-14
USRA PRO/AM Singles Divisions
Men's Open: Woody Clouse (Denver, Colo.) def. Erin Brannigan (Sandpoint, Idaho) 15-14, 15-12
Men's A: Tuve Nycum (Denver, Colo.) def. John Dellinger (Denver, Colo.) 15-3, 15-10
Men's B: Pat Boyle (Colo.Spgs., Colo.) def. Larry Mullen (Colo.Spgs., Colo.) 15-9, 15-9
Men's C: Dana Mahar (New Mexico) def. Duane Lerew (Denver, Colo.) 14-15, 15-13, 11-10
Men's Novice: Dan Chacon (USAFA, Colo.) def. John Arki (USAFA, Colo.) 15-0, 15-4
Men's 45+: Jim Gillhouse (Colo.Spgs., Colo.) def. John Vohland (Colo.Spgs., Colo.) 15-12, 15-12
Women's Open: Susana Acosta (Chihuahua, Mexico) def. Lori Jane Powell (Calgary, Alberta) 8-15, 15-13, 11-7
Women's A: Barb Mehegan (Colo.Spgs., Colo.) def. Diane Pratt (Renton, Wash.) 15-14, 15-11
Women's C: Jennifer Fleming (USAFA, Colo.) def. Petra Allen (Colo.Spgs., Colo.) 15-6, 15-4
Women's Novice: Erin Reynolds (USAFA, Colo.) def. Kristy Youngpeter (USAFA, Colo.) 15-11, 15-12
USRA PRO-AM Doubles Divisions
Men's Open: Jimmy Lowe (Renton, Wash.)/Mike Johnston (Denver, Colo.) def. Woody Clouse/Mark Helton (Denver, Colo.) 15-3, 11-15, 11-4
Men's A: John Dellinger/Tuve Nycum (Denver, Colo.) def. Carl Franklin/Charles George (Denver, Colo.) 11-15, 15-12, 11-4
Men's B: Pat Boyle/Benny Terry (Colo.Spgs., Colo.) def. Dave Jennings/Sammy Payne (Colo.Spgs., Colo.) 15-8, 15-5
Women's Open: Jackie Paraiso (San Diego, Calif.)/Laura Fenton (Kansas City, Kan.) def. Josee Grand'Maitre (Longueuil, Quebec)/Lori Jane Powell (Calgary, Alberta) by forfeit
Mixed Open: Rhonda Rajsich (Phoenix, Ariz.)/John Vohland (Colo.Spgs., Colo.) def. Donna Beldring/Bruce Burgess (Denver, Colo.) 15-11, 6-15, 11-9
Mixed A: Loretta Marks/Mark Schnittger (Denver, Colo.) def. Cathy Bender/Richard Kozak (Colo.Spgs., Colo.) 13-15, 15-8, 11-7
Mixed B: Joni Achenbach/Dave Jennings (Colo.Spgs., Colo.) def. Jennifer Fleming/Kerwin Swenson (Colo.Spgs., Colo.) 15-8, 15-11
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