Kiwis Win First Junior Squash Test Over Australia

Kiwis Win First Junior Squash Test Over Australia - sent on behalf of Squash NZ

New Zealand has won the opening Test of the Executive Travel Junior Squash trans-Tasman series against at the Remuera Rackets Club in Auckland.

The home side won the Test 12-6 with an additional 13’s boys game added to the original schedule to make the score 13-6 overall.

The second Test is on Friday from 1pm at the same venue before the Oceania Champs featuring around 170 players start the following day through until Tuesday 16 April

There were a number of players from around country who starred in some top quality squash, many were representing their country for the first time, while others have been regulars over the years.

In the younger age groups Riley McCracken (Herne Bay, Auckland) and Reece Holmes (Hawera) were winners in the U13 boys while Anabel Romero (Palmerston North) and Maia Smales (Henderson Squash Club) won in the U13 girls.

Apa Fatialofa (Henderson) and Sophie Hodges (Hamilton Squash Club) were victorious in their respective U15 categories.

Playing up an age group was Natalie Sayers, originally from Northland but now at Belmont Park on the North Shore. Last year as a 13-year-old she won the Oceania 15’s title, now playing in the 17’s age group she won her match over Kurstyn Mather in straight games.

In the U17 boys Leo Fatialofa had a tough match which went to four games against Ethan Eyles, the son of former world No.2 Rodney Eyles. However the other senior players such as Elijah Thomas won his U17 boys singles in straight games while Gabe Yam was victorious in his U19 match, also in straight games and Temwa Chileshe took out his U19 boys singles in four games.

New Zealand won three out of the four U19 girls singles matches with only Winona Jo Joyce from the Hawkes Bay dropping her match. Georgia Robcke (Thames) took 38 minutes for her win, while Annmarie Holst (Northland) and Anika Jackson (Waikato) were straight game winners..

First Test Results: New Zealand names first:

U13 Boys:

Riley McCracken bt Aryan Maden 11-6, 7-11, 11-3, 11-7, Oliver Dunbar lt Joshua Rahul Raj 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 8-11, Reece Holmes bt Zane Wolpers 11-7, 11-4, 11-4.

U13 Girls:

Anabel Romero bt Maja Mazuik 11-4, 11-8, 11-7, Maia Smales bt Soha Khatri 11-2, 11-7, 11-4.

U15 Boys:

Tom Marshall lt Oscar Curtis 3-11, 2-11, 1-11, Apa Fatialofa bt Daniel Marsh 11-3, 11, -3, 11-4,

U15 Girls:

Ella Lash lt Maggie Goodman 11-2, 11-13, 11-6, 6-11, 7-11, Sophie Hodges bt Kiara Sutbley 11-8, 11-3, 11-8.

U17 Boys:

Leo Fatialofa lt Ethan Eyles 11-8, 6-11, 9-11, 9-11, Elijah Thomas bt Greg Chan 8-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-4.

U17 Girls:

Georgia Fyfe lt Ella Burge 8-11, 10-12, 5-11, Natalie Sayes bt Kurstyn Mather 11-8, 11-2, 11-3.

U19 Boys:

Gabe Yam bt Dylan Molinaro 11-4, 11-3, 11-3, Temwa Chileshe bt Abel Jin 11-3, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8,

U19 Girls:

Winona Jo Joyce lt Alex Haydon 7-11, 5-11, 6-11, Anika Jackson bt Anna Goodman 11-3, 11-7, 11-1, Annmarie Holst bt Remashree Muniandry 11-9, 11-7, 13-11, Georgia Robcke bt Katie Davies 11-2, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6.

ends

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