Preston Quick (l) keeps Michael Puertas on the run.

Michael Puertas came on strong in the first half of the finals match at the US Men’s Team Event Sunday but ran of our steam loosing to first seed Preston Quick 6-9, 10-8, 9-6, 9-3.

If Puertas planned to play a slow high game, he was thwarted by Quick who volleyed anything shoulder height and above then drove everything else deep with ferocious pace.

Matching him initially, 37-year-old Puertas displayed marvelous frontcourt touch and perfectly placed lobs.   But Quick turned the tide in the 2nd firing off a flurry of winning points to run the score up from down 2 to 8-8.  He closed out at 10-8.  Then took the next two to seal the win 9-6, 9-3.

Prior to their match 3rd place finisher Richard Chin remarked on Puertas’ tenaciousness.  “I’ve seen him take players to five and leave absolutely everything on court.”  Tonight, however, would be different.  Chin beat  Dylan Patterson in an trouble-free three 9-2, 9-6, 9-4. 

Chicago native Beau River caught “Friday” Odeh napping during the first two games of the 5/6 consolation playoff  9-0, 9-0.  Odeh, realizing he was suppose to be playing squash, rallied 7 points in the third but was unable to fend off River who won the match 9-0, 9-0, 9-7.

Tonight’s results will be calculated toward the Men’s World Team Event staged in Islamabad, Pakistan December 2005:
1st place           Preston Quick
2nd place          Michael Puertas
3rd place           Richard Chin
4th place           Dylan Patterson
5th place           Beau River
6th place           Frances Odeh
7th place           Ben Oliner
8th place           Conor O’Malley
9th place           Yasser Kamel
10th place         Sean Ballard
Default              Jared Sandler

Finals [Complete Draw]
Preston Quick defeats Michael Puertas 6-9, 10-8, 9-6, 9-3
¾ playoff: Richard Chin defeats Dylan Patterson 9-2, 9-6, 9-4
5/6 playoff: Beau River defeats Frances Odeh 9-0, 9-0, 9-7
7/8 playoff: Ben Oliner defeats Connor O’Malley by default