Gilly Lane Conquers the Austral Ball at the Howard Davis Memorial by Paul T. Chan
L-R: Greg Park, Tournament Chair Bill Sykes, Gilly Lane
December 15, 2014
– The annual Howard Davis Memorial Hardball Tournament, honoring the
former US Squash President, was held this past weekend at the Greate
Bay Tennis and Racquet Club in Somers Point, New Jersey. The
Tournament continues the experiment with the Austral ball, which was
designed by hardball enthusiasts to allow the thrill of hardball play
on the more prevalent international courts.
Gilley Lane, the second-best-ever ranked American on the professional
squash tour, defeated Greg Park, the Greate Bay club pro and SDA
touring professional, 15-12 in the fifth and deciding game of the Open
Division. This was the first time Lane had played with the
Austral ball. Gilly commented: “The points were amazing, with the fast
pace of the ball challenging the reflexes and creating split-second
shotmaking decisions. What fun, and what a workout!”
Lane joins National Hardball champion Julian Illingworth and National
Women’s champion Sabrina Sohby as recent entrants at hardball events.
Matt Dominick, the former University of Rochester star, placed third in
the Open Division. In the finals of the 60s Division, Paul Chan
of Atlantic City beat many-time national champion Tefft Smith of
Washington, DC. In the 50s Division, Duane Demaree of Galloway, New
Jersey beat local stalwart Greg DeDominicus.
To get FREE Austral balls, contact Preston Quick at preston.quick@ussquash.com
Reminder:
The Hardball Circuit is heating up with the William White in January
and will end with the Hardball Nationals on February 27th at the Merion
Cricket Club, just outside of Philadelphia.
For more details, go to http://www.ussquash.com/hardball-singles-sets-season-schedule/
