New Jersey Men, Kalamazoo Women Win Regional Goalball Championships

(Colorado Springs, CO.) – Although both the New Jersey Thunder (men) and Kalamazoo Chaos (women) went undefeated throughout the U.S.. Association of Blind Athletes Mideast Regional Goalball Championships, the gold medals came down to a single goal for each team.  The second of three USABA Regional Goalball Championships was held April 2-3 in Cherry Hill, N.J.

Goalball is a team sport played by blind and visually impaired athletes around the world. A team of three athletes on each side of the court aims to launch a ball at speeds of more than 30 mph into the opposing side's goal on an indoor volleyball-sized court.  All athletes are blindfolded to create a state of total blackness and nine bells encased in a ball the size of a basketball help the athletes track the ball's location.

Led by Paralympian Dan Gallant (Howell, N.J.), the New Jersey Thunder defeated Northeast Florida, 5-4 in an overtime shootout. With the score tied at three following the second regulation half, the teams progressed through two three-minute periods without a goal.

The game automatically progressed to a shootout where a player from each team was allowed one free shot on an opposing player with the highest scoring team claiming the game. 

Danny Palmadessa (Claster, N.J.) and three-time Paralympian Eddie Munro (St. Augustine, Fla.) each scored, tying the game 4-4 and sending both teams to a sudden death shootout.

During the sudden death shootout, a player from each team takes a shot against a player of the opposing team. This process is repeated until, after an equal number of throws are taken, the team with the greater number of goals is declared the winner.

Northeast Florida’s Daryl Walker (Jacksonville, Fla.) began the sudden death shootout with the first throw, a shot that was blocked by Gallant who responded with a goal of his own and a 5-4 victory for New Jersey.

In the bronze medal game, the Michigan Spitfire defeated the Western Michigan University Wrecking Crew, 6-4.  Joe Hamilton and Carl Love (both Wayne, Mich.) posted three goals each to secure the win while Paralympian Tyler Merren (Kalamazoo, Mich.) led the Spitfire in goals during the intrastate match-up.

On the women’s side, the rivalry between the Kalamazoo Chaos and the Colorado Bandits continued as the Chaos won its second USABA event of the season, repeating the results of the Midwest regional with a 1-0 win over the Colorado Bandits in the gold medal match. Two-time Paralympian Asya Miller (Battle Creek, Mich.) scored the lone goal of the game off a crosscourt shot for the win.

The Illinois Tsunami dominated the women’s bronze medal match during the first half, outscoring New Jersey, 7-0.  New Jersey recovered in the second with three goals scored by two-time Paralympian Lisa Banta (Boonton, N.J.), but ultimately lost the game, 8-3.

Complete results and rosters are as follows:

Men’s Results

1. New Jersey Thunder: Gallant, Palmadessa, Omar Atin (Elizabeth, N.J.), and Norberto Vega (Jersey City, N.J.)
2. Northeast Florida: Munro, Walker, Donte Mickens (Tallahassee, Fla.), Chris Dixon (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Jim Sanchez (Jacksonville, Fla.)
3. Michigan Spitfire: Hamilton, Love, JJ Meddaugh (Saginaw, Mich.) and Brad Lucas (Lincoln, Neb.)
4. Western Michigan University Wrecking Crew: Merren, Stephen Denuyl (Clinton, N.J.), Gerardo Ortiz (Holland, Mich.), and Matthew McCubbin (Grand Ledge, Mich.)

Also Competed:
Pennsylvania Association of Blind Athletes Vultures
Pennsylvania Association of Blind Athletes II 
New York Knights
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind 
California Sharks 
Harrisburg Enforcers
 Atlanta
 New Jersey II

Women’s Results

1. Kalamazoo Chaos: Miller, Nikki Buck (Paw Paw, Mich.), Susie D’Mello (Troy), and Alicia Mulder (Battle Creek, Mich.)
2. Colorado Bandits: Jennifer Armbruster (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Robin Theryoung (Clarkston, Mich.), Jordan Walters (U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.),
3. Illinois Tsunami: Jackie Barnes (Vernon Hills, Ill.), Lindsay Sloan (Wauconda, Ill.), Katie Healy (Mundelein, Ill.) and Joni Owen (Des Plaines, Ill.)
4. New Jersey: Banta, Krystyn Johnson (Whiting, N.J.), Shelley Richards (Westmont, N.J.), Danielle Larsen (Shamone, N.J.), Dominca Vogel (Collinswood, N.J.), Amanda Dennis (Peachtree City, Ga.)

Also Competed:
Minnesota Northern Lights
Western Michigan University Broncos
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind

For more information, please contact Nicole Jomantas, USABA Communications Director, at (719) 630-0422, ext. 10.

USABA, a member organization of the U.S. Olympic Committee, is a non-profit organization that provides training for blind and visually impaired athletes for competition in nine sports. USABA members range from blind children developing sports skills to elite athletes who train for competitions such as the Paralympic Games, the world's second largest athletic competition that draws more than 4,000 disabled athletes.