Competing at the 2006 International Racquetball World Junior Championships in Arizona, Key won her age group in the singles event.[2] Key also participated in the 3 Wallball World Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2014.[3] Key was back to compete at the 2016 edition of the 3 Wallball World Championships, where she defeated Paola Longoria in the semi-finals.[4][5]
International career
Key earned her first call up to the United States junior team in 2004, and was a member of the team for over three years.[2]
Key competed at the 2014 World Championships in the singles event, where she won a silver medal.[6]
Key has competed for the USA three times. She was on Team USA at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, where she played Women's Singles.[6] Key lost two of her three matches in the group stage. Her sole win was against Canada's Jennifer Saunders.[7] As a result, was seeded against her teammate Rhonda Rajsich in the Round of 16 in playoffs. Rajsich won that match 15-8, 15-7.[8] However, in the Women's Team event Key helped the USA get the silver medal.[9] Key's win over Canadian Jennifer Saunders, 15-2, 15-6, in the semi-finals, put the USA into the final.[6] But in the first match of the final, Key lost to Samantha Salas, 15-3, 15-9, and Mexico's Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas who successfully defended their title and defeated the American pair.[9][10]
Key also represented the USA at the 2016 Pan American Championships in San Luis Potosí, where she partnered with Kelani Bailey in Women's Doubles.[11] They reached the finals with a win over Veronica Sotomayor and Maria Paz Muñoz of Ecuador in the semi-finals, 11-15, 15-14, 11-5. In the final, Key and Bailey lost to the Mexican team of Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas, 15-5, 15-10. Key also played singles in San Luis Potosí, and lost in the quarterfinals to Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala, 15-7, 10-15, 11-7.[12]
Key played Women's Singles for the USA at the 2016 World Championships in Cali, Colombia, where she lost in the Round of 32 to Mariana Tobon of Venezuela, 4-15, 15-9, 11-4.[13] She also lost to Bolivia's Adriana Riveros during the competition.[14]
US Championships
Key played for the University of Arizona at Intercollegiates. Key was the 2011 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Champion in Women's Singles, as she defeated Sharon Jackson in the final, 15-11, 15-14.[15] That win avenged a loss to Jackson in the 2010 final.[16] Key also played in the doubles tournament at the 2014 edition of the US Open with Lambert. The pair lost to eventual winners Paola Longoria and Verónica Sotomayor .[17]
Key was runner-up at the 2016 USA Racquetball National Singles Championships in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, where she lost to Rhonda Rajsich in the final, 15-7, 15-7.[18] Key reached the final by defeating Janel Tisinger in the semi-finals, 15-4, 15-13.[citation needed]
Perhaps Key's best pro result is a semi-final finish at the 2016 Paola Longoria Experience tournament in San Luis Potosí.[21] She got to the semis by defeating Susana Acosta, 11-5, 11-1, 11-6, in the Round of 16, and Rajsich in the quarterfinals, 11-2, 2-11, 6-11, 11-4, 11-9. In the semi-finals, Key lost to Frédérique Lambert, 11-3, 11-5, 11-3.[citation needed] She also participated in the 2014 edition of the Paola Longoria Experience in the women's double event with Canadian partner Frederique Lambert.[22][23] The pair opened the tournament with a loss to Mexico's Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas despite winning the first set.[22]
In May 2015, she played doubles with Lambert at a tournament in Herndon, Virginia. The pair finished second after losing in the finals to Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas.[23] Playing again with Lambert, the pair made the finals of the 2015 Battle of the Alamo tournament, finishing second after failing to appear for the final.[24] In 2015, she reached the finals of the Open de Cali in Colombia while playing with Lambert, only to lose to Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas Solis in sets of 10-15, 15-10 and 11-5.[25] In March 2016, she participated in the Zócalo Capitalino tournament.[20] In September 2016, she participated in a tour event in Las Vegas.[26]
Personal life
Key was married to racquetball player Daniel De La Rosa, and has two children. Key's younger sister Danielle has also played elite racquetball.
^Carvajal, Jesús (September 24, 2016). Written at México, Monterrey. "Acaba invicto de Longoria". Cancha. Mexico City, Mexico: Reforma. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
^Associated Press (July 26, 2015). "Longoria, otra vez 3 oros para México". El Nuevo Heraldo (in European Spanish). McAllen, Texas: AIM Media TX LLC. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
^"Women's Doubles Draw"(PDF). International Racquetball Federation. March 26, 2016. p. 1. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
^"Women's Singles Draw"(PDF). International Racquetball Federation. March 26, 2016. p. 1. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
^"Women's SIngles Draw"(PDF). International Racquetball Federation. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
^ abAgencia Reforma (May 18, 2015). "Reina Longoria". El Vigía (in Spanish). Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico: Editorial El Vigia S.A De C.V. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
^Mirabal Chessal, Roberto (April 25, 2016). "Doble título en Texas para Paola Longoria". El Sol de San Luis (in Mexican Spanish). San Luis, Mexico: Organización Editorial Mexicana S.A. de C.V. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
