Summary of USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships for 2022

Annie Roberts of the University of the Pacific won both Women’s #1 Singles and Women’s #1 Doubles on the weekend at the 2022 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships in Tucson, Arizona. Overall, Roberts is the 9th woman to win singles and doubles at Intercollegiates, and the first since 2012, when Sharon Jackson of the University of Alabama did it.

That was Jackson’s second time winning both, first doing so in 2010. Jackson was the second Alabama woman to win both, as Adrienne Fisher had done so in 2005.

Two Baldwin Wallace players won both in back to back years. Kristen Bellows (née Walsh) won them 2001, and then Krystal Csuk did so in 2002. Bellows won them both for a second time in 2004 while playing for the University of Utah, and she did so with her mother Marianne Walsh as her partner.

Other double winners are Susana Acosta (Chihuahua) in 2000, Kerri Wachtel (née Stoffregen) in 1994 for Memphis State, and two Sacramento State players: Robin Levine in 1988 and Crystal Fried in 1985.

Intercollegiate participation

There were 88 players at the 2022 Intercollegiate Championships, which is the lowest participation rate for at least a decade. This is likely due to pandemic concerns; yes, Virginia, we’re still in a pandemic.

On the positive side, the women’s participation was still strong this year. Of the 88 players in Tucson, 36 were women, 40.9%. That’s the 2nd time running that the women’s participation rate has been over 40%, and this is several percentage points higher than the average of the six championships before that (33.3%).

USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Champions

Women's Singles

2022

1) Annie Roberts (Pacific)
2) Shane Diaz (Northeast Lakeview College)
3) Julia Stein (Baldwin Wallace)
4) Kate Zawalski (Missouri)

2019

1) Hollie Scott (Washington)
2) Carla Muñoz (Colorado State, Pueblo)
3) Erika Manilla (Northern Arizona)
4) Melania Sauma (Arizona State)

2018

1) Carla Muñoz (Colorado State)
2) Erika Manilla (Northern Arizona)
3) Hollie Scott (Washington)
4) Lexi York (Oregon State)

2017

1) Carla Muñoz (Colorado State)
2) Melania Sauma (Arizona State)
3) Lexi York (Oregon State)
4) Katie Nieswiadomy (Texas A&M)

2016

1) Carla Muñoz (Las Positas)
2) Kelani Bailey (Shenandoah)
3) Lexi York (Oregon State)
4) Devon Pimentelli (Bellevue College)

2015

1) Kelani Bailey (Shenandoah)
2) Elizabeth Simmons (Arizona)
3) Hannah Shnurman (Northern Colorado)
4) Rachel Creel (Oregon State)

2014

1) Devon Pimentelli (Canada College)
2) Amanda Lindsay (Oregon State)
3) Samantha Simmons (Maryland)
4) Elizabeth Simmons (Arizona)

2013

1) Kelani Bailey (Shenandoah)
2) Danielle Key (Arizona State)
3) Amanda Lindsay (Oregon State)
4) Kelly Gremley (Purdue)

2012

1) Sharon Jackson (Alabama)
2) Danielle Key (Arizona State)
3) Sheryl Lotts (Baldwin Wallace)
4) Hailey Miller (Oregon)

2011

1) Michelle Key (Arizona State)
2) Sharon Jackson (Univ. of Alabama)
3) Sheryl Lotts (Baldwin Wallace)
4) Kelly Gremley (Purdue)

2010

1) Sharon Jackson (Univ. of Alabama)
2) Michelle Key (Univ. of Arizona)
3) Sheryl Lotts (Baldwin Wallace)
4) Ashley Willhite (Oregon State)

2009

1) Sheryl Lotts (Baldwin Wallace)
2) Kara Mazer (University of Alabama)
3) Ashley Willhite (Oregon State)
4) Teresa Diaz (Delta College)

2008

1) Kara Mazer (University of Alabama)
2) Sarah Hettesheimer (Baldwin Wallace)
3) Ashley Willhite (Oregon State)
4) Sue Sublaban (Delta College)

2007

1) Kimberly Irons (Ohio University)
2) Jesi Fuller (University of New Mexico)
3) Da'monique Davis (University of Alabama)
4) Sarah Hettesheimer (Baldwin Wallace)

2006

1) Adrienne Fisher (University of Alabama)
2) Ashley Legget (Oregon State)
3) Jesi Fuller (University of New Mexico)
4) Allison Dauer (North Carolina)

Women's Doubles

2022

1) Alondra Canchola & Annie Roberts (Pacific)
2) Abby Lachance & Kate Zawalski (Missouri)
3) Faith Malek & Julia Stein (Baldwin Wallace)
4) Autumn Lewis & Katt Macgregor (Oregon State)

2019

1) Brenda Laime & Adriana Riveros (Colorado State, Pueblo)
2) Natalie Lorati & Lexi York (Oregon State)
3) Elyse Duffie & Elena Robles (Purdue)
4) Lindsay Briglia & Erika Manilla (Northern Arizona)

2018

1) Erin Boadway & Erika Manilla (Northern Arizona)
2) Natalie Lorati & Lexi York (Oregon State)
3) Kayla Day & Carla Muñoz (Colorado State)
4) Tylynn Barker & Courtnie Duncan (Utah State)

2017

1) Erin Boadway & Erika Manilla (Northern Arizona)
2) Samantha Baker & Carla Muñoz (Colorado State)
3) Erica Lipski & Lexi York (Oregon State)
4) Madeline Gauch & Christina Hughes (Missouri)

2016

1) Erica Lipski & Lexi York (Oregon State)
2) Jordan Giljum & Madeline Gauch (Missouri)
3) Jessilee Loucks & Lindsey Raven (Brigham Young)
4) Alexis Templeton & Antonia Duran (New Mexico)

2015

1) Elizabeth Simmons & Lindsay Rasmussen (Arizona)
2) Rachel Creel & Sarah Lewis (Oregon State)
3) Anna Schwartz & Madeline Gauch (Missouri)
4) Stefanie Nissley & Kerry Ryan (Pennsylvania State)

2014

1) Elizabeth Simmons & Lindsay Rasmussen (Arizona)
2) Amanda Lindsay & Karissa Beatty (Oregon State)
3) Anna Schwartz & Rachel Schmidt (Missouri)
4) Adrienne Schneider & Sara Moulton (Brigham Young)

2013

1) Danielle Key & Devon Pimentelli (Arizona State)
2) Amanda Lindsay & Karissa Beatty (Oregon State)
3) Elizabeth Simmons & Lindsay Rasmussen (Arizona)
4) Eliza Culverwell & Mary Culverwell (Brigham Young)

2012

1) Madeleine Angles & Sharon Jackson (University of Alabama)
2) Molly Haragan & Sheryl Lotts (Baldwin Wallace)
3) Danielle Key & Izayadeth Aguayo (Arizona State)
4) Leah Redwine & Hailey Miller (University Of Oregon)

2011

1) Sharon Jackson & Brittany Travers (University of Alabama)
2) Sheryl Lotts & Tracy Hawthorne (Baldwin Wallace)
3) Hailey Miller & Leah Redwine (University of Oregon)
4) Izayadeth Aguayo & Michelle Key (Arizona State)

2010

1) Sharon Jackson & Kara Mazur (University of Alabama)
2) Sheryl Lotts & Tracy Hawthorne (Baldwin Wallace)
3) Haley Strom & Holly Hettesheimer (University Of Cincinnati)
4) Izayadeth Aguayo & Michelle Key (Arizona State)

2009

1) Sharon Jackson & Kara Mazer (University of Alabama)
2) Sarah Hettesheimer & Sheryl Lotts (Baldwin Wallace)
3) Alyssa Asay & Ashley Willhite (Oregon State)
4) Eliza Culverwell & Charlotte Macfarlane (Brigham Young)

2008

1) Alyssa Asay & Ashley Willhite (Oregon State)
2) Mallory Parry & Darla Wenger (Brigham Young)
3) Sarah Hettesheimer & Tyler Fridley (Baldwin Wallace)
4) Kara Mazer & Brittany Travers (University of Alabama)

2007

1) Da'monique Davis & Kara Mazer (University of Alabama)
2) Sarah Hettesheimer & Kristin Matushevski (Baldwin Wallace)
3) Michelle Key & Jessica Montemayor (Arizona State)
4) Mallory Parry & Katherine Affeltranger (Brigham Young)

2006

1) Ashley Legget & Ashley Willhite (Oregon State)
2) Da'monique Davis & Kelley Fisher (University of Alabama)
3) Jesi Fuller & Natalie Alexia Lopez (New Mexico State)
4) Gretchen Miller & Kristen Karl (Pennsylvania State)

Men's Singles

2022

1) Arial Tito (Colorado State, Pueblo)
2) Ben Baron (Northern Arizona)
3) Jeremy Dixon (Adler)
4) John Dowell (Missouri)

2019

1) Erik Garcia (Colorado State, Pueblo)
2) Alejandro Almada (Texas)
3) Jeremy Dixon (Baldwin Wallace)
4) Jacob Matthews (East Carolina)

2018

1) Erik Garcia (Colorado State, Pueblo)
2) Alejandro Almada (Texas)
3) Sam Bredenbeck (Oregon State)
4) Kyle Ulliman (Baldwin Wallace)

2017

1) Thomas Carter (Baldwin Wallace)
2) Erik Garcia (Colorado State, Pueblo)
3) Adam Manilla (Colorado)
4) Mauro Rojas (Delta College)

2016

1) Marco Rojas (University of the Pacific)
2) David Horn (California State-Hayward)
3) Thomas Carter (Baldwin Wallace)
4) Brad Schopieray (Colorado State, Pueblo)

2015

1) Adam Manilla (Colorado)
2) Marco Rojas (University of the Pacific)
3) Dylan Reid (Washington University)
4) Brad Schopieray (Colorado State, Pueblo)

2014

1) Jose Diaz (Delta College)
2) Nick Montalbano (Colorado State, Pueblo)
3) Adam Manilla (Colorado State)
4) Joel Barshaw (Oregon State)

2013

1) Taylor Knoth (Oregon State)
2) Nick Montalbano (Colorado State, Pueblo)
3) Cole Burr (Brigham Young)
4) Jordan Matthews (North Carolina State)

2012

1) Jansen Allen (Colorado State, Pueblo)
2) Taylor Knoth (Oregon State)
3) John Craig Chisholm (Boston Univ.)
4) Jose Diaz (Delta College)

2011

1) Taylor Knoth (Oregon State)
2) Nick Montalbano (Colorado State, Pueblo)
3) Danny Lavely (Univ. of Alabama)
4) John Craig Chisholm (Boston Univ.)

2010

1) Jose Rojas (Delta College)
2) Taylor Knoth (Univ. of Oregon)
3) Joey Lakowske (Oregon State)
4) Allan Crockett (Univ. of Alabama)

2009

1) Jose Rojas (Delta College)
2) Allan Crockett (University of Alabama)
3) Tony Carson (Colorado State)
4) Anthony Herrera (University of Colorado, Colorado Springs)

2008

1) Tony Carson (Colorado State, Pueblo)
2) Anthony Herrera (University of Colorado, Colorado Springs)
3) Bradly Rogers (Wichita)
4) Allan Crockett (University of Alabama)

2007

1) Ben Croft (Colorado State, Pueblo)
2) Agustin Tristan (University of Alabama)
3) Evan Ussery (University of New Mexico)
4) Phil Matthews (University of Illinois)

2006

1) Ben Croft (Colorado State, Pueblo)
2) Agustin Tristan (University of Alabama)
3) Mike Harmon (Manatee Community College)
4) Louis Vogel (University of New Mexico)

Men's Doubles

2022

1) Ben Baron & Arthur Schmeiser (Northern Arizona)
2) Samuel Lazcano Ramirez & Arial Tito (Colorado State, Pueblo)
3) Cody Boucher & Nathan Buring (Oregon State)
4) John Dowell & James Storgion (Missouri)

2019

1) Erik Garcia & Lukas Le (Colorado State, Pueblo)
2) Alejandro Almada & Jerry Yang (Texas)
3) Jeremy Dixon & Daniel Herrera (Baldwin Wallace)
4) Nathan Buring & Nick Buring (Oregon State)

2018

1) Justus Benson & Erik Garcia (Colorado State, Pueblo)
2) Jeremy Dixon & Kyle Ulliman (Baldwin Wallace)
3) Sam Bredenbeck & Alexander DeHart (Oregon State)
4) Alejandro Almada & Jerry Yang (Texas)

2017

1) Thomas Carter & Manolo Sandoval (Baldwin Wallace)
2) Erik Garcia & Brad Schopieray (Colorado State, Pueblo)
3) Adam Manilla & Nick Riffel (Colorado)
4) Mauro Rojas & Francisco Troncoso (Delta College)

2016

1) Jose Diaz & Marco Rojas (University of the Pacific)
2) Jeremy McGlothin & Brad Schopieray (Colorado State, Pueblo)
3) Thomas Carter & Manolo Sandoval (Baldwin Wallace)
4) Matt McAdam & Nick Riffel (Colorado)

2015

1) Adam Manilla & Nick Riffel (Colorado)
2) Jacob Matthews & Brad Schopieray (Colorado State, Pueblo)
3) Joel Bradshow & Sam Reid (Oregon State)
4) Jon Lanford & Alex Howard (Texas)

2014

1) Felipe Camacho & Brad Schopieray (Colorado State, Pueblo)
2) Adam Manilla & Nick Riffel (Colorado State)
3) Joel Bradshow & Sam Reid (Oregon State)
4) Danny Sardina & Zachary Patterson (Arizona State)

2013

1) Taylor Knoth & Joel Bradshow (Oregon State)
2) Nick Montalbano & Jake Bredenbeck (Colorado State, Pueblo)
3) Cole Burr & Brian Zundel (Brigham Young)
4) Alex Fischler & Joe Koch (Missouri)

2012

1) Jansen Allen & Nick Montalbano (Colorado State, Pueblo)
2) Grant Stalley & Taylor Knoth (Oregon State)
3) Brad Falvey & Danny Lavely (Alabama)
4) Cole Burr & Joseph Blank (Brigham Young)

2011

1) Felipe Camacho & Jansen Allen (Colorado State, Pueblo)
2) Allan Crockett & Danny Lavely (University of Alabama)
3) Joey Pryor & Taylor Knoth (Oregon State)
4) Jeff Skanchy & Joseph Blank (Brigham Young)

2010

1) David Horn & Jose Rojas (Delta College)
2) Jansen Allen & Tyler Otto (Colorado State)
3) Allan Crockett & Jonathan Doyle (University of Alabama)
4) David Laforest & Joey Lakowske (Oregon State)

2009

1) Tony Carson & Jansen Allen (Colorado State)
2) Jose Rojas & Ismael Aldana Jr. (Delta College)
3) Allan Crockett & Jonathan Doyle (University of Alabama)
4) Harry Fuller & Zach Apperson (Baldwin Wallace)

2008

1) Tony Carson & Charlie Pratt (Colorado State)
2) Harry Fuller & Zach Apperson (Baldwin Wallace)
3) David Laforest & Joey Lakowske (Oregon State)
4) Allan Crockett & Jonathan Doyle (University of Alabama)

2007

1) Ben Croft & Mitch Williams (Colorado State)
2) Chris Crockett & Shane Karmelin (University of Alabama)
3) Harry Fuller & Zach Apperson (Baldwin Wallace)
4) Marco Hidalgo & Evan Ussery (New Mexico State)

2006

1) Ben Croft & Mitch Williams (Colorado State)
2) Augustin Tristan & Shane Karmelin (University of Alabama)
3) Scott Perryman & Jared Torres (Brigham Young)
4) Joe Linnell & Benjamin Toth (Ohio State)

Follow the bouncing ball....

Roberts wins twice at 2022 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships

Annie Roberts of the University of Pacific was a double winner at the 2022 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships at the Tucson Racquet and Fitness Club in Tuscon, Arizona, as she won both Women’s #1 Singles and Women’s #1 Doubles with Alondra Canchola. In the singles final, Roberts defeated Shane Diaz from Northeast Lakeview College in Texas, 15-6, 15-4, and in the doubles final, Roberts and Canchola beat Abby Lachance and Kate Zawalski of the University of Missouri, 15-2, 15-2.

Roberts only gave up more than 6 points in only one of her matches. That was during the semi-finals of doubles, when she and Canchola defeated Faith Malek and Julia Stein of Baldwin Wallace in two close games, 15-11, 15-14. Curiously, Roberts, a right handed player, played the right side with Canchola, who’s also a right handed player. Usually, the stronger player plays the left side, but not in this case, even though Roberts won the Women’s #1 division and Canchola was 3rd in the Women’s #2 division.

On the Men’s side, Arial Tito from Colorado State, Pueblo, had a chance to do what Roberts did, as he defeated Ben Baron of Northern Arizona University, 15-9, 15-3, in the Men’s #1 Singles final, but in the Men’s #1 Doubles final, Tito and Samuel Lazcano Ramirez lost to Baron and Arthur Schmeiser in a breaker, 6-15, 15-5, 11-3.

Team Standings

Players compete in teams at Intercollegiates: Women’s, Men’s and Overall. Teams are a maximum of six men and six women with players competing in divisions ranked 1 through 6, and three doubles divisions: 1 to 3. A team accumulates points across the divisions based on their players' results.

The Women’s Team standings were 1) University of Missouri, 2) University of the Pacific and 3) Brigham Young University. The Men’s Team standings were 1) University of Missouri, 2) Brigham Young University, and 3) Northern Arizona University. Thus, it’s not surprising that the Overall Team winner was the University of Missouri with Brigham Young University in second, and Oregon State University was 3rd.

Coaching award

Finally, Jim Hiser was named the National Intercollegiate Coach of the Year. Hiser has coached the Colorado State, Pueblo team for 34 years, and is retiring after this season.

If you missed any of the intercollegiate action, check out the USA Racquetball Facebook page, where they streamed some of the matches.

2022 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships
Tuscon, Arizona - March 23-26, 2022
(with seedings)

Women's Singles - Final

1) Annie Roberts (Pacific) d. 2) Shane Diaz (Northeast Lakeview College), 15-4, 15-6

Women's Singles - 3rd Place

3) Julia Stein (Baldwin Wallace) d. 4) Kate Zawalski (Missouri), 15-1, 15-0

Women's Singles - Semi-finals

1) Annie Roberts (Pacific) d. 4) Kate Zawalski (Missouri), 15-0, 15-5
2) Shane Diaz (Northeast Lakeview College) d. 3) Julia Stein (Baldwin Wallace), 12-15, 15-2, 11-5

Women's Doubles - Final

2) Alondra Canchola & Annie Roberts (Pacific) d. 1) Abby Lachance & Kate Zawalski (Missouri), 15-2, 15-2

Women's Doubles - 3rd Place

3) Faith Malek & Julia Stein (Baldwin Wallace) d. 5) Autumn Lewis & Katt Macgregor (Oregon State), 15-9, 12-15, 11-0

Women's Doubles - Semi-finals

1) Abby Lachance & Kate Zawalski (Missouri) d. 5) Autumn Lewis & Katt Macgregor (Oregon State), 15-5, 15-10
2) Alondra Canchola & Annie Roberts (Pacific) d. 3) Faith Malek & Julia Stein (Baldwin Wallace), 15-11, 15-14

Men's Singles - Final

5) Arial Tito (Colorado State, Pueblo) d. 2) Ben Baron (Northern Arizona), 15-9, 15-3

Men's Singles - 3rd Place

3) Jeremy Dixon (Adler) d. 5) John Dowell (Missouri), 8-15, 15-13, 11-1

Men's Singles - Semi-finals

5) Arial Tito (Colorado State, Pueblo) d. 3) Jeremy Dixon (Adler), 15-13, 15-12
2) Ben Baron (Northern Arizona) d. 5) John Dowell (Missouri), 15-13, 10-15, 11-6

Men's Doubles - Final

4) Ben Baron & Arthur Schmeiser (Northern Arizona) d. 2) Samuel Lazcano Ramirez & Arial Tito (Colorado State, Pueblo), 6-15, 15-5, 11-3

Men's Doubles - 3rd Place

1) Cody Boucher & Nathan Buring (Oregon State) d. 6) John Dowell & James Storgion (Missouri), 15-12, 11-15, 11-6

Men's Doubles - Semi-finals

4) Ben Baron & Arthur Schmeiser (Northern Arizona) d. 1) Cody Boucher & Nathan Buring (Oregon State), 15-10, 9-15, 11-5
2) Samuel Lazcano Ramirez & Arial Tito (Colorado State, Pueblo) d. 6) John Dowell & James Storgion (Missouri), 15-8, 15-8

Team Standings - Women’s Team

1) University of Missouri
2) University of the Pacific
3) Brigham Young University

Team Standings - Men’s Team

1) University of Missouri
2) Brigham Young University
3) Northern Arizona University

Team Standings - Overall Team

1) University of Missouri
2) Brigham Young University
3) Oregon State University

Follow the bouncing ball....

Mercado defeats Acuña for Men's Open title at 2022 Shamrock Shootout

Mario Mercado won Men’s Open at the 37th Annual PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout on the weekend in Lombard, Illinois. He was the top seed, and defeated 2nd seed Andres Acuña, 15-4, 3-15, 11-10, in the final. Note, this was another match that had two lopsided first games, and then a close tie-breaker. In the semi-finals, Mercado beat 4th seed Erick Cuevas Fernandez, 15-4, 15-2, and Acuña defeated 3rd seed Erick Trujillo, 15-11, 15-5.

Coming up

This week’s events are the USA Racquetball (USAR) 2022 National Intercollegiate Championships in Tucson, Arizona, March 23-26. There are just 89 players this year, which is substantially fewer than in years past.

Also, the Racquetball Canada Eastern Championships are on this weekend, March 25-27, in Valleyfield, Québec, with several of the top Canadian players in action, including Samuel Murray, Coby Iwaasa and Trevor Webb, who have been named as the men’s players for Team Canada for the 33rd Pan American Championships in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, April 9-16.

The IRT’s next event will be the 2022 IRT SoCal Open in Fullerton, California, April 28 to April 30. The next Tier 1 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) event is the Battle at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, April 29-May 1, but they’ll play outdoors in the 2022 Beach Bash in Hollywood, Florida March 24-27.

37th Annual PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout
March 17-20, 2022 - Lombard, Illinois

Men’s Open - Final

1) Mario Mercado d. 2) Andres Acuña, 15-4, 3-15, 11-10

Men’s Open - Semi-finals

1) Mario Mercado d. 4) Erick Cuevas Fernandez, 15-4, 15-2
2) Andres Acuña d. 3) Erick Trujillo, 15-11, 15-5

Follow the bouncing ball….

Waselenchuk wins 37th Annual IRT PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout

In what was described as “close enough to a centurion final,” Kane Waselenchuk defeated long time rival Rocky Carson, 15-6, 15-9, to win the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) 37th Annual PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois, Sunday. It was Waselenchuk’s 124th IRT title by far the most by any player, and the 82nd time he and Carson have faced off on tour.

Waselenchuk said “I love playing him,” because Carson “is a gentleman” and they respect each other. However, it probably helps that Waselenchuk has won 79 of their 82 IRT matches.

But they hadn’t played each other in a final since February 2019. Carson credited Waselenchuk’s serving for contributing to today's outcome, saying “he played great ball today."

Both players were aware that today’s final might have had the oldest combined age for the players, as Waselenchuk is 40 and Carson 42. That fact led Waselenchuk to say it was close to a centurion final.

He dominated the first game, and led all the way after taking an early 5-0 lead to win it 15-6. Game two was close early with Carson leading at 5-2. However, Waselenchuk scored 12 unanswered points to lead 14-5.

Carson did fight off two match points, as he staged a comeback. But that fell short, as Waselenchuk got the serve back after Carson skipped a backhand shot. On his third match point opportunity, the left-handed Waselenchuk hit a drive serve to the right side that Carson returned down the right wall, but it came off the wall early, which allowed Waselenchuk to hit a backhand winner to end the rally and win the game, 15-9, and match in two straight games.

Carson’s serving strategy was different in the match, as he used mostly off speed serves. When Carson hit Z serves, they were effective, but when they were just straight to either the left or the right side, Waselenchuk’s returns were more effective.

The doubles final was a rematch of last year’s International Racquetball Federation (IRF) Men’s Doubles World Championship final, as Mexicans Javier Mar and Rodrigo Montoya took on Bolivians Roland Keller and Moscoso with the same outcome: a win for the Mexicans, 15-9, 15-9.

The IRT will next be in action at the 2022 IRT SoCal Open in Fullerton, California, April 28 to May 2. If you missed any of the action from Illinois, check out the IRT YouTube channel, as well as its Facebook page.

37th Annual IRT PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout
March 17-20, 2022 - Lombard, Illinois

IRT Singles - Final - Sunday

3) Kane Waselenchuk d. 8) Rocky Carson, 15-6, 15-9

IRT Doubles - Final - Sunday

2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya d. 4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso, 15-9, 15-9

Follow the bouncing ball….

Waselenchuk & Carson to face off for 82nd time in final of 37th Annual IRT PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout

Kane Waselenchuk and Rocky Carson - 40 and 42 years old, respectively - have schooled all the young’uns that they’ve faced this weekend at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) 37th Annual PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois, so the veterans will meet in an IRT final for the first time in over three years on Sunday. They are the most familiar of foes, as they have played more IRT matches against each other than any other pair of players in IRT history: 81. Waselenchuk holds the decisive advantage over those 81 matches with 78 wins to Carson’s 3.

In Saturday’s semi-finals, Waselenchuk, the IRT’s #3 player, defeated IRT #7 Conrrado Moscoso in two straight games, 15-6, 15-7, and IRT #8 Carson came back to beat IRT #3 Alejandro Landa, 14-15, 15-4, 11-9.

In the doubles semi-finals, current International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Champions Javier Mar and Rodrigo Montoya from Mexico defeated Jake Bredenbeck and Samuel Murray, 15-11, 15-11, and will play Bolivians Roland Keller and Moscoso, who squeaked out a win over Carson and Eduardo Portillo, 8-15, 15-7, 11-10.

When a match goes to a third game after two lopsided games, it’s almost always close in the breaker, and so it was with Keller and Moscoso versus Carson and Portillo. Keller and Moscoso did lead the whole way, including at 10-5. But Carson and Portillo fought off an initial match point and then got four points of their own to get within one at 10-9.

Carson then skipped a forehand shot to give the Bolivians the serve, yet they couldn’t finish it as Moscoso got hit by the ball as he was on the floor by the left wall, and then Carson hit a winning backhand wide angle pass to get his side back in the service box.

The game tying point came as the ball got caught up in the back left corner, so Moscoso couldn’t return it, giving Carson and Portillo a match point. On the next rally Moscoso hit a backhand winner to put Carson and Portillo half down, and then Portillo skipped a forehand pinch shot, so two match point opportunities went for naught and the Bolivians were back to serve.

Moscoso skipped a forehand shot on his team’s second match point opportunity. Then Carson had a good chance to win it as the ball came well off from the back left corner, and he set up to hit a backhand pinch shot into the front left corner but skipped the shot. Thus, Keller and Moscoso won, and will face the IRF World Champions Sunday in the final.

The IRT singles final will be noon Sunday with the doubles to follow at 1 PM. All times are Central. Look for the action via the IRT YouTube channel., as well as its Facebook page.

37th Annual IRT PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout
March 17-20, 2022 - Lombard, Illinois

IRT Singles - Semi-finals - Saturday

8) Rocky Carson d. 4) Alejandro Landa, 14-15, 15-4, 11-9
3) Kane Waselenchuk d. 7) Conrrado Moscoso, 15-6, 15-7

IRT Singles - Semi-finals - Sunday

3) Kane Waselenchuk v. 8) Rocky Carson - Noon

IRT Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso d. 8) Rocky Carson & Eduardo Portillo, 8-15, 15-7, 11-10
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya d. 3) Jake Bredenbeck & Samuel Murray, 15-11, 15-11

IRT Doubles - Final - Sunday

2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya v. 4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso - 1 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Carson upsets #1 De La Rosa to reach semi-finals at 37th Annual IRT PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout

Rocky Carson turned back time Saturday morning at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) 37th Annual PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois Friday, as the 42 year old upset IRT #1 Daniel De La Rosa, 15-11, 15-4, in the quarterfinals. It’s the second time in as many days that Carson has beaten De La Rosa, as he and Eduardo Portillo got the best of De La Rosa and Alvaro Beltran in doubles Friday night.

Carson will play IRT #3 Alejandro Landa in the semi-finals later today, as Landa came back from a game down to defeat Samuel Murray, 3-15, 15-1, 11-7.

The other semi-final will be IRT #3 Kane Waselenchuk versus 7th seed Conrrado Moscoso. Waselenchuk beat Portillo in the quarterfinals, 15-7, 15-5, and Moscoso defeated Rodrigo Montoya, 15-6, 15-12.

If Carson and Waselenchuk win their respective semis, then they will play for a record extending 82nd time on tour. The pair of players to have met the 2nd most is a tie between Waselenchuk versus Beltran and Sudsy Monchik versus Cliff Swain at 53 times.

The IRT semi-finals will be at b4 4:30 and 5:30 PM, and the final at noon Sunday. The doubles semi-finals will be at 7:30 and 8:30 PM Saturday and the final will be 1 PM Sunday. All times are Central. Look for the action via the IRT YouTube channel., as well as its Facebook page.

37th Annual IRT PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout
March 17-20, 2022 - Lombard, Illinois

IRT Singles - Quarterfinals - Saturday

8) Rocky Carson d. 1) Daniel De La Rosa, 15-11, 15-4
4) Alejandro Landa d. 5) Samuel Murray, 3-15, 15-1, 11-7

3) Kane Waselenchuk d. 6) Eduardo Portillo, 15-7, 15-5
7) Conrrado Moscoso d. 15) Rodrigo Montoya, 15-6, 15-12

IRT Singles - Semi-finals - Saturday

4) Alejandro Landa v. 8) Rocky Carson - 5:30 PM
7) Conrrado Moscoso v. 3) Kane Waselenchuk - 4:30

IRT Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso v. 8) Rocky Carson & Eduardo Portillo - 8:30 PM
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya v.

3) Jake Bredenbeck & Samuel Murray - 7:30 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Montoya upsets Parrilla to reach quarters at 2022 IRT 37th Annual PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout

Rodrigo Montoya upset Andree Parrilla in the Round of 16 at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) 37th Annual PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois Friday, as he knocked off the IRT’s #2 player in a tie-breaker, 6-15, 15-14, 11-9, in a battle of two Mexican national team players.

Montoya will play 7th seed Conrrado Moscoso in the quarterfinals on Saturday, as Moscoso beat 10th seed Mario Mercado, 15-6, 15-4, in the 16s.

There were no other upsets in the Round of 16, as the higher seeds all won, including IRT #1 Daniel De La Rosa, who defeated 17th seed Thomas Carter, 15-11, 15-12. De La Rosa will play veteran Rocky Carson, the 8th seed, in the quarters, as Carson beat Jordy Alonso, 15-6, 15-7, Friday.

But De La Rosa was not so fortunate in doubles, as he and Alvaro Beltran, the #1 seeds, were upset by Carson and Eduardo Portillo, 15-9, 4-15, 11-8, in the quarters. Carson and Portillo will play Bolivians Roland Keller and Moscoso in the semi-finals, as the Bolivians defeated 5th seeds Sebastian Fernandez and Parrilla, 15-13, 15-8.

The higher seeds won the other quarterfinals matches in doubles, although 2nd seeds Javier Mar and Rodrigo Montoya needed to come back against 7th seeds Adam Manilla and Mario Mercado and even then it went to the limit with Mar and Montoya winning, 8-15, 15-11, 11-10. Mar and Montoya will play 3rd seeds Jake Bredenbeck and Samuel Murray in the semis, as they beat 6th seeds Sebastian Franco and Eduardo Garay, 15-5, 15-8, in the quarters.

The IRT quarterfinals will be Saturday at 10 AM onwards with the semi-finals at b4 4:30 and 5:30 PM, and the final at noon Sunday. The doubles semi-finals will be at 7:30 and 8:30 PM Saturday and the final will be 1 PM Sunday. All times are Central. Look for the action via the IRT YouTube channel., as well as its Facebook page.

37th Annual IRT PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout
March 17-20, 2022 - Lombard, Illinois

IRT Singles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Daniel De La Rosa d. 17) Thomas Carter, 15-11, 15-12
8) Rocky Carson d. Jordy Alonso, 15-6, 15-7

5) Samuel Murray d. Erick Trujillo, 15-9, 15-12
4) Alejandro Landa d. 13) Adam Manilla, 15-10, 11-15, 11-3

3) Kane Waselenchuk d. 14) Andres Acuña, 15-3, 15-3
6) Eduardo Portillo d. 11) Alvaro Beltran, forfeit

7) Conrrado Moscoso d. 10) Mario Mercado, 15-6, 15-4
15) Rodrigo Montoya d. 2) Andree Parrilla, 6-15, 15-14, 11-9

IRT Singles - Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Daniel De La Rosa v. 8) Rocky Carson - 1 PM
4) Alejandro Landa v. 5) Samuel Murray - Noon

3) Kane Waselenchuk v. 6) Eduardo Portillo - 11 AM
7) Conrrado Moscoso v. 15) Rodrigo Montoya - 10 AM

IRT Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

8) Rocky Carson & Eduardo Portillo d. 1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa, 15-9, 4-15, 11-8
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso d. 5) Sebastian Fernandez & Andree Parrilla, 15-13, 15-8

3) Jake Bredenbeck & Samuel Murray d. 6) Sebastian Franco & Eduardo Garay, 15-5, 15-8
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya d. 7) Adam Manilla & Mario Mercado, 8-15, 15-11, 11-10

IRT Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso v. 8) Rocky Carson & Eduardo Portillo - 8:30 PM
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya v.

3) Jake Bredenbeck & Samuel Murray - 7:30 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Upsets in Round of 32 at 37th Annual IRT PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout

There plenty of tie-breakers and three upsets in the Round of 32 at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) 37th Annual PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois Friday. The biggest upset was Jordy Alonso’s win over 9th seed Jake Bredenbeck, 15-12, 15-10. Alonso will play 8th seed Rocky Carson in the Round of 16 tonight.

Elsewhere Erick Trujillo came back to defeat 12th seed Sebastian Franco, 5-15, 15-5, 11-9, and will play 5th seed Samuel Murray in the 16s. Also, the 16/17 match went to 17th seed Thomas Carter who took out 16th seed Eduardo Garay, 15-11, 12-15, 11-1 to set up a match with IRT #1 Daniel De La Rosa.

That was all on the top of the draw, and while there were no upsets on the bottom of the draw, there were three tie-breakers, including Rodrigo Montoya’s narrow win over Sebastian Fernandez, 15-4, 10-15, 11-10. He’ll face IRT #2 Andree Parrilla next.

Also holding on to win were Andres Acuña, defeating Javier Mar, 15-7, 12-15, 11-3, and veteran Alvaro Beltran, who beat Erick Cuevas Fernandez, 15-8, 9-15, 11-0. in the Round of 16, Acuña will play IRT #3 Kane Waselenchuk, while Beltran takes on #6 Eduardo Portillo. Rounding out the 16s will be 7th seed Conrrado Moscoso versus 10th seed Mario Mercado, who defeated Juan Salvatierra, 15-9, 15-7 in the 32s.

The IRT Round of 16 singles will be at 7 and 8 PM Friday evening. The quarterfinals will be Saturday at 10 AM onwards with the semi-finals at b4 4:30 and 5:30 PM, and the final at noon Sunday. The doubles quarterfinals are at 4 and 5 PM. The doubles semi-finals will be at 7:30 and 8:30 PM Saturday and the final will be 1 PM Sunday. All times are Central. Look for the action via the IRT YouTube channel., as well as its Facebook page.

37th Annual IRT PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout
March 17-20, 2022 - Lombard, Illinois

IRT Singles - Round of 32 - Friday

1) Daniel De La Rosa - BYE
17) Thomas Carter d. 16) Eduardo Garay, 15-11, 12-15, 11-1

Jordy Alonso d. 9) Jake Bredenbeck, 15-12, 15-10
8) Rocky Carson - BYE

5) Samuel Murray - BYE
Erick Trujillo d. 12) Sebastian Franco, 5-15, 15-5, 11-9

13) Adam Manilla v. Robert Collins, 15-10, 15-3
4) Alejandro Landa - BYE

3) Kane Waselenchuk - BYE
14) Andres Acuña d. Javier Mar, 15-7, 12-15, 11-3

11) Alvaro Beltran d. Erick Cuevas Fernandez, 15-8, 9-15, 11-0
6) Eduardo Portillo - BYE

7) Conrrado Moscoso - BYE
10) Mario Mercado d. Juan Salvatierra, 15-9, 15-7

15) Rodrigo Montoya d. Sebastian Fernandez, 15-4, 10-15, 11-10
2) Andree Parrilla - BYE

IRT Singles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Daniel De La Rosa v. 17) Thomas Carter - 8 PM
8) Rocky Carson v. Jordy Alonso - 8 PM

5) Samuel Murray v. Erick Trujillo - 8 PM
4) Alejandro Landa v. 13) Adam Manilla - 8 PM

3) Kane Waselenchuk v. 14) Andres Acuña - 7 PM
6) Eduardo Portillo v. 11) Alvaro Beltran - 7 PM

7) Conrrado Moscoso v. 10) Mario Mercado - 7 PM
2) Andree Parrilla v. 15) Rodrigo Montoya - 7 PM

IRT Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa - BYE
8) Rocky Carson & Eduardo Portillo d. 9) Andres Acuña & Jordy Alonso, 15-7, 13-15, 11-9

5) Sebastian Fernandez & Andree Parrilla d. 12) David Kimmick & Vineet Singh, 15-1, 15-0
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso - BYE

3) Jake Bredenbeck & Samuel Murray - BYE
6) Sebastian Franco & Eduardo Garay d. 11) Victor Migliore & Kyle Ulliman, 15-8, 15-4

7) Adam Manilla & Mario Mercado d. 10) Erick Cuevas Fernandez & Erick Trujillo, 15-1, 15-11
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya - BYE

IRT Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa v. 8) Rocky Carson & Eduardo Portillo - 5 PM
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso v. 5) Sebastian Fernandez & Andree Parrilla - 5 PM

3) Jake Bredenbeck & Samuel Murray v. 6) Sebastian Franco & Eduardo Garay - 4 PM
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya v. 7) Adam Manilla & Mario Mercado - 4 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Day one of the 37th Annual IRT PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout

The International Racquetball Tour (IRT) is back in action this weekend in Lombard, Illinois, where they’ll play the 37th Annual PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout. Andree Parrilla comes into the event as the most recent IRT winner after a victory in Georgia in January, when he defeated Kane Waselenchuk in the final.

But it’s Daniel De La Rosa who is the top seed this weekend with Parrilla 2nd seed and Waselenchuk 3rd. Thus, Parrilla and Waselenchuk could face off in the semi-finals in Illinois. Alejandro Landa is the 4th seed. Overall there are 31 players in the field including some that are likely using the event as a tune up for next month’s Pan American Championships in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Players like Mario Mercado and Sebastian Franco of Colombia, Bolivians Conrrado Moscoso and Roland Keller, Canadian Samuel Murray and Costa Rican Andres Acuña, as well as Mexicans Rodrigo Montoya and Javier Mar, who are the current International Racquetball Federation (IRF)) Men’s Doubles World Champions.

Doubles

Perhaps curiously, they will play doubles before singles on Friday, and it’s likely some of the field will play four times on Friday: 2 singles matches and 2 doubles. Alvaro Beltran and De La Rosa are the top seeds with Montoya and Mar as 2nd seeds. Jake Bredenbeck and Samuel Murray - who might be called Team Big’n’Tall - are 3rd seeds with Bolivians & Moscoso and Keller seeded 4th.

The IRT matches begin Thursday with the qualifying round. The Round of 32 begins Friday at 1 and 2 PM with the Round of 16 at 7 and 8 PM Friday evening. The quarterfinals will be Saturday at 10 AM onwards with the semi-finals at b4 4:30 and 5:30 PM, and the final at noon Sunday. Doubles will be two rounds on Friday at 10 and 11 AM and then the quarterfinals at 4 and 5 PM. The doubles semi-finals will be at 7:30 and 8:30 PM Saturday and the final will be 1 PM Sunday. All times are Central. Look for the action via the IRT YouTube channel., as well as its Facebook page.

37th Annual IRT PapaNicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout
March 17-20, 2022 - Lombard, Illinois

IRT Singles - Qualifying Round - Thursday

Q1 - Thomas Carter - BYE
Q8 - Jordy Alonso v. Jim Douglas, 15-2, 15-0

Q5 - Erick Trujillo v. Ferd Samson, 15-3, 15-9
Q4 - Robert Collins v. Benajmin Horner, 15-9, 15-5

Q3 - Javier Mar d. Rodrigo Mendoza, 15-7, 15-3
Q6 - Erick Cuevas Fernandez d. Victor Migliore, 15-7, 15-4

Q7 - Juan Salvatierra d. Geovani Mendoza, 15-5, 15-9
Q2 - Sebastian Fernandez d. Abraham Mercado, forfeit

IRT Singles - Round of 32 - Friday

1) Daniel De La Rosa - BYE
16) Eduardo Garay v. 17) Thomas Carter - 2 PM

9) Jake Bredenbeck v. Jordy Alonso - 2 PM
8) Rocky Carson - BYE

5) Samuel Murray - BYE
12) Sebastian Franco v. Erick Trujillo - 2 PM

13) Adam Manilla v. Robert Collins - 2 PM
4) Alejandro Landa - BYE

3) Kane Waselenchuk - BYE
14) Andres Acuña v. Javier Mar - 1 PM

11) Alvaro Beltran v. Erick Cuevas Fernandez - 1 PM
6) Eduardo Portillo - BYE

7) Conrrado Moscoso - BYE
10) Mario Mercado v. Juan Salvatierra - 1 PM

15) Rodrigo Montoya v. Sebastian Fernandez - 1 PM
2) Andree Parrilla - BYE

IRT Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa - BYE
8) Rocky Carson & Eduardo Portillo v. 9) Andres Acuña & Jordy Alonso - 11 AM

5) Sebastian Fernandez & Andree Parrilla v. 12) David Kimmick & Vineet Singh - 11 AM
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso - BYE

3) Jake Bredenbeck & Samuel Murray - BYE
6) Sebastian Franco & Eduardo Garay v. 11) Victor Migliore & Kyle Ulliman - 10 AM

7) Adam Manilla & Mario Mercado v. 10) Erick Cuevas Fernandez & Erick Trujillo - 10 AM
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….

Weekend Round Up - Wins for Acuña, Parrilla & Meneses as well as USAR High School Championships

There were several racquetball events that wrapped on the weekend, and we want to do a run down of them. Fridley, Minnesota hosted the Minnesota Racquetball Hall of Fame Tournament - a Tier 3 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) event - which featured three top 15 IRT players: Samuel Murray, Jake Bredenbeck and Andres Acuña, and Acuña, the 15th ranked IRT player, who the event beating the two IRT top 10 players in the process.

Acuña defeated top seed Samuel Murray (IRT #5), 15-10, 15-7, in the final, after beating 2nd seed Jake Bredenbeck (IRT #9), 15-10, 15-8, in the semi-finals. Murray defeated Jordy Alonso, 15-10, 15-5, in the other semi.

The Bredenbeck brothers won doubles, as Jake and Sam defeated Murray and Michael Leduc, 15-2, 15-4, in the final. They had a closer win in the semi-finals over Acuña and Alonso, 15-11, 15-14, while Murray and Leduc beat John Goth and Blake Hansen, 15-5, 15-14.

Another IRT event took place in Pueblo, Colorado, where Andree Parrilla won the Pueblo Athletic Club Shootout - a Tier 4 event. Parrilla beat David Horn, 15-2, 15-5. In the semi-finals, Parrilla defeated Nicholas Riffel, 15-7, 15-7, and Horn had to come back from a game down to get past Adam Manilla, 6-15, 15-13, 11-9.

Finally, at the Boston Open in Marlborough, Massachusetts, 4th seed Micaela Meneses won the Women’s Open title by defeating 2nd seed Carla Muñoz, 8-11, 11-10, 11-5, in the final. She knocked off top seed Kelani Lawrence, 11-4, 11-8, in one semi-final, while Muñoz held on to defeat 3rd seed Jenny Daza, 11-6, 4-11, 11-3, in the other semi.

USA Racquetball National High School Championships

The largest event that happened last week was the USA Racquetball (USAR) High School Championships in St. Louis, Missouri, where 346 kids were hitting the ball around. It’s a fabulous total, although the vast majority of the players - 289 - were from Missouri. Add on 30 kids from Oregon, and you have 92% of the players from two states. Indeed, there were players from just 8 states overall.

Nonetheless, having kids playing racquetball is great. And having hundreds of kids doing so is astounding.

Josh Shea was the only player from New York state, but he won the Boy’s #1 Singles title living up to his top seeding, although he did need a tie-breaker to defeat 2nd seed Andrew Gleason of Iowa, 15-4, 13-15, 11-3. The Girl’s #1 Singles final was also between the top seeds, as 2nd seed Naomi Ros of Texas upset top seed Heather Mahoney from California, 15-9, 15-6.

However, Mahoney did win the Girl’s #1 Doubles title with partner Ava Naworski. They were the 3rd seeds, and defeated 4th seeds Avery Oppermann and Gabbie Roseman of Missouri, 15-3, 15-11, in the final. The Boy’s #1 Doubles title went to top seeds Gabe Collins and Jacob Schmidt of Missouri who beat fellow Missourians and 3rd seeds Will Shorey and Jared Thornberry in two close games, 15-13, 15-14.

On the horizon

Coming up on the racquetball calendar will be the IRT’s 37th Annual Papa Nicholas Coffee Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois, March 17-20; that’s a Tier 1 event. The next Tier 1 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) event is the Battle at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, April 29-May 1, but they’ll play outdoors in the 2022 Beach Bash in Hollywood, Florida March 24-27.

Internationally, the 33rd Pan American Championships will be in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, April 9-16, and racquetball is part of the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, July 7-22. Also, USA Racquetball (USAR) will have their 2022 National Doubles and Singles Championships in College Station, Texas on the campus of Texas A & M University May 25-29, and Racquetball Canada has announced its National Championships will happen in Brossard, Québec, May 24-28.

Thus, there are a lot of great events coming up over the next few months, and that will set the stage for the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico in August.

Minnesota Racquetball Hall of Fame Tournament - IRT Tier 3
March 3-6, 2022 - Fridley, Minnesota

IRT Singles - Final

3) Andres Acuña d. 1) Samuel Murray, 15-10, 15-7

IRT Singles - Semi-finals

1) Samuel Murray d. 5) Jordy Alonso, 15-10, 15-5
3) Andres Acuña d. 2) Jake Bredenbeck, 15-10, 15-8

IRT Singles - Quarterfinals

1) Samuel Murray d. 8) John Goth, 15-9, 15-4
5) Jordy Alonso d. 4) Sam Bredenbeck, 15-10, 15-1

3) Andres Acuña d. 6) Blake Hansen, 15-5, 15-6
2) Jake Bredenbeck d. 7) Lee Meinerz, 15-2, 15-3

IRT Doubles - Final

2) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck d. 1) Samuel Murray & Michael Leduc, 15-2, 15-4

IRT Singles - Semi-finals

1) Samuel Murray & Michael Leduc d. 4) John Goth & Blake Hansen, 15-5, 15-14
2) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck d. 3) Andres Acuña & Jordy Alonso, 15-11, 15-14

Pueblo Athletic Club Shootout - IRT Tier 4
March 4-6, 2022 - Pueblo, Colorado

IRT Singles - Final

1) Andree Parrilla d. 3) David Horn, 15-2, 15-5

IRT Singles - Semi-finals

1) Andree Parrilla d. 2) Adam Manilla, 6-15, 15-13, 11-9
3) David Horn 4) Nicholas Riffel, 15-7, 15-7

Boston Open
March 4-6, 2022 - Marlborough, Massachusetts

Women’s Open Singles - Final

4) Micaela Meneses d. 2) Carla Muñoz, 8-11, 11-10, 11-5

Women’s Open Singles - Semi-final

4) Micaela Meneses d. 1) Kelani Lawrence, 11-4, 11-8
2) Carla Muñoz d. 3) Jenny Daza, 11-6, 4-11, 11-3

Women’s Open Singles - Quarterfinals

1) Kelani Lawrence d. 9) Tasha Kay, 11-0, 11-1
4) Micaela Meneses d. 5) Sheryl Lotts, 5-11, 11-9, 11-3

3) Jenny Daza d. 6) Camila Rivero, 11-9, 11-10
2) Carla Muñoz d. 7) Annie Roberts, 11-1, 5-11, 11-6

2022 USA Racquetball National High School Championships
March 2-6, 2022 - St. Louis, Missouri

Boy’s Singles #1 - Final

1) Josh Shea (Hendrick Hudson) d. 2) Andrew Gleason (Johnston School District), 15-4, 13-15, 11-3

Boy’s Singles #1 - Semi-finals

1) Josh Shea (Hendrick Hudson) d. 4) DJ Mendoza (Douglas Macarthur High School), 15-10, 15-6
2) Andrew Gleason (Johnston School District) d. 3) Benjamin Horner (Ankeny Centennial), 15-2, 15-12

Girl’s Singles #1 - Final

2) Naomi Ros (Douglas Macarthur High School) d. 1) Heather Mahoney (Casa Grade High School), 15-9, 15-6

Girl’s Singles #1 - Semi-finals

1) Heather Mahoney (Casa Grade High School) d. 4) Brielle Fernando (Beaverton High School), 15-7, 15-6
2) Naomi Ros (Douglas Macarthur High School) d. 3) Gabbie Roseman (Kirkwood High School), 15-6, 15-0

Boy’s Doubles #1 - Final

1) Gabe Collins & Jacob Schmidt (Christian Brothers College High School) d. 3) Will Shorey & Jared Thornberry (St. Louis University High School), 15-13, 15-14

Boy’s Doubles #1 - Semi-finals

1) Gabe Collins & Jacob Schmidt (Christian Brothers College High School) d. 4) Riley Edwards & Drake Howard (Barlow), 15-4, 15-8
3) Will Shorey & Jared Thornberry (St. Louis University High School) d. 7) Charlie Buren & Jonathon Ruck (Lafayette High School), 15-9, 15-10

Girl’s Doubles #1 - Final

3) Heather Mahoney & Ava Naworski (Casa Grade High School) d. 4) Avery Oppermann & Gabbie Roseman (Kirkwood High School), 15-3, 15-11

Girl’s Doubles #1 - Semi-finals

4) Avery Oppermann & Gabbie Roseman (Kirkwood High School) d. 1) Brielle Fernando & Payton Lemke (Beaverton High School), 15-13, 13-15, 11-4
3) Heather Mahoney & Ava Naworski (Casa Grade High School) d. 2) Hailey Fitts & Hannah Werk (Lafayette High School), 13-15, 15-1, 11-4

Follow the bouncing ball….

Herrera wins back to back, Longoria & Salas take doubles title at 2022 LPRT Boston Open

Alexandra Herrera won the 2022 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Boston Open in Marlborough, Massachusetts, on Sunday, as the #2 LPRT player defeated Paola Longoria, the LPRT’s #1 player, 15-8, 15-14, in the final. Herrera’s now won back to back on the LPRT for the first time, and these are her first two career titles. It’s also the first time since late 2010 that (a) someone other than Longoria has won back to back LPRT events, and (b) Longoria has lost two events in a row. Herrera beat Longoria in Vero Beach, Florida two weeks ago.

Longoria and Samantha Salas won the Boston Open doubles title by defeating Kelani Lawrence and Hollie Scott, 15-13, 7-15, 11-7, a match that was much closer than it looked on paper, as Longoria and Salas are the #1 doubles team on the LPRT and Lawrence and Scott were the 6th seeds. But that’s why you play the games, and the young Americans Lawrence and Scott were full measure for taking it to a breaker, and could have won it if the veterans - and current International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Champions from Mexico - had slipped up in some way. But they didn’t.

In the singles final, Herrera never trailed in game one, although they were tied at 5-5 and 6-6. Herrera - a lefthanded player - drove serve down the left side to Longoria’s backhand effectively, and followed it up with solid shots during the rallies to win by a comfortably margin.

Longoria started well in game two, as she used a 1/2 lob Z serve to the right side - Herrera’s backhand - and took a large lead at 12-1. It looked like a tie-breaker would be needed to decide the winner.

However, Herrera went back to what had been working in game one: strong drive serves to the left with a couple of Z serves to the left. That got her back into the game, and gave her some good opportunities during the rallies to put the ball away as she was doing in game one.

The result was one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent memory, as Herrera went from 12-1, 13-8, and 14-11 down to tie the game at 14-14, and then win it 15-14. On game point, Herrera drove serve to the left, and Longoria returned it into the middle (she may have been intending to go cross court), where Herrera hit a roll out forehand shot to win.

There was some controversy when Longoria served at 14-11 after Herrera had called a timeout. On the ensuing rally, a Herrera shot went into the back right corner and didn’t really come out. Longoria felt that there was a court hinder, as apparently there is a grate at the bottom of the back wall. It’s difficult to know whether that happened, as the bottom of the back wall is unseen from outside the court. The trajectory of the ball into that back right corner looked like it was going to be a winner regardless, and that seemed to be what the referee was relying on to make the call. Longoria appealed the call, but the line judges upheld the referee’s call.

Longoria didn’t serve again, as Herrera won the next three rallies to win the game and match.

In game one of the doubles final, Lawrence and Scott were ahead early at 5-2 and 6-3. But Longoria and Salas turned that around to come back and lead 11-6. Lawrence and Scott got the serve back at that point, and Lawrence began hitting a drive jam serve to the left side (Lawrence was playing the right side; Scott the left), so the ball would come off the left wall in front of Longoria and over to Salas who would be on her backhand side as it came to her.

The strategy was effective, as Lawrence and Scott scored four straight points to tie the game as 11-11. They got another to lead 12-11, but then an avoidable hinder call got the Mexicans back in the service box and they got three points to reach game point at 14-12. A Scott backhand cross court shot from right to left got her side back in the service box, but they couldn’t score, as she skipped a ball on the next rally and then a Salas forehand cross court shot got the Mexicans their 2nd game point. They converted that when Longoria hit a winning backhand pinch shot.

Thus, Lawrence and Scott needed to win game two, and put in that "must win" situation, they never trailed in game two, as they continued to use drive jam serves to good effect. The game winning point came as Scott hit a backhand jam serve to the right side that cracked off the wall, so Salas couldn’t return it. That was the serve Scott hit effectively against Herrera and Montserrat Mejia in the semi-finals.

The tie-breaker was close all the way with points going back and forth. They were tied at 5-5, and then Longoria and Salas went ahead 8-5, and never trailed from there. Three winners by Lawrence and Scott got them the serve back and two points to make it 8-7. But a great forehand reverse pinch shot by Salas and a backhand cross court shot by Longoria put an end to the Americans’ run.

Three more rallies ended with Mexican winners - two by Longoria and one by Salas, and the game was over at 11-7, and also the match, two games to one. The win is Longoria and Salas’s third of the season (Longoria also won once with Maria Jose Vargas).

Despite the loss, Lawrence and Scott showed they are a team to be reckoned with, as they made a good account of themselves against both of the top teams on tour - beating the 2nd seeds Herrera and Mejia in the semi-finals and almost beating the top seeds and reigning World Champions in Longoria and Salas.

The next Tier 1 LPRT event is the Battle at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, April 29-May 1, but they’ll play outdoors in the 2022 Beach Bash in Hollywood, Florida March 24-27. If you missed any of the action from Boston, and there were several very good matches - including the two finals, check out the LPRT YouTube channel, as well as the LPRT Facebook page.

LPRT Boston Open
March 4-6, 2022 - Marlborough, Massachusetts

LPRT Singles - Final - Sunday

2) Alexandra Herrera d. 1) Paola Longoria, 15-8, 15-14

LPRT Doubles - Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 6) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott, 15-13, 7-15, 11-7

Follow the bouncing ball….

Longoria & Herrra in singles final, Lawrence & Scott in doubles final at 2022 LPRT Boston Open

One upset in the semi-finals at the 2022 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Boston Open in Marlborough, Massachusetts, and it’s a big one, as Americans Kelani Lawrence and Hollie Scott, the 6th seeds, upset 2nd seeds Alexandra Herrera and Montserrat Mejia of Mexico, 8-15, 15-2, 11-6, in the semis and put themselves in their first pro final together. In the final, they’ll play another Mexican team - the top seeds Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas, who beat 4th seeds Gabriela Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez from Guatemala in two straight games, 15-4, 15-11.

Lawrence and Scott turned their match around, because they found a serve that Herrera and Mejia had trouble with. Early in game two, Scott - playing on the left side - began hitting a backhand drive serve to the right side that jammed off the right wall. Thus, it was difficult for Mejia - on the right side - to play it, and it was coming to the left handed Herrera at an angle that made it difficult for her to play it also.

They went from 2-2 in game two to 15-2, and then 8-1 in game three, outscoring their opponents 21 to 1 over that stretch. Herrera and Mejia did get back in game three, and were within three points at 9-6, but Lawrence and Scott got a side out at that point, and then finished off the match on the next two rallies. Scott got the match winner: a forehand reverse pinch from the middle of the back court, which was just the last of several great shots she and Lawrence hit in the match.

The singles final will be LPRT #1 Longoria versus #2 Herrera, as the singles semi-finals were pretty straightforward. Longoria never trailed in her match against 5th seed Natalia Mendez of Argentina, winning 15-7, 15-5, and the story was similar for Herrera, who beat 6th seed Angelica Barrios of Bolivia, 15-6, 15-5.

This is the second consecutive LPRT event with Longoria and Herrera in the final, and two weeks ago in Vero Beach, Florida Herrera beat Longoria for the first time in her career to get her first LPRT title. Can she do it again? If Herrera does win back to back singles titles, she would be the first women to do so - not named Longoria - in 11 1/2 years.

However, Longoria has not lost back to back events on tour since December 2010, so she’ll certainly be trying to continue that bounce back streak on Sunday.

The singles final is Sunday at noon with doubles final to follow at 1 PM. All times Eastern. Look for the action via the LPRT YouTube channel, as well as the LPRT Facebook page.

LPRT Boston Open
March 4-6, 2022 - Marlborough, Massachusetts

LPRT Singles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria d. 5) Natalia Mendez, 15-7, 15-5
2) Alexandra Herrera d. 6) Angelica Barrios, 15-6, 15-5

LPRT Singles - Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria v. 2) Alexandra Herrera - Noon

LPRT Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 4) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-4, 15-11
6) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott d. 2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia, 8-15, 15-2, 11-6

LPRT Doubles - Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 6) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott - 1 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Barrios upsets Vargas in quarterfinals at 2022 LPRT Boston Open

Sixth seed Angelica Barrios of Bolivia upset 3rd seed Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina, 7-15, 15-0, 11-7, in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Boston Open in Marlborough, Massachusetts. The win put Barrios into the semi-finals for the third time this season. She’s just been in one LPRT final in her career, but will have a chance to double that number when she plays LPRT #2 Alexandra Herrera later today.

Herrera got to the semis by hanging on to defeat her doubles partner, 7th seed Montserrat Mejia, in three games, 15-11, 12-15, 11-8.

On the top side of the draw, Paola Longoria, the LPRT’s #1 player, beat her long time doubles partner Samantha Salas, 15-5, 15-7, and will play either 5th Natalia Mendez of Argentina, who needed a tie-breaker get past 13th seed Erika Manilla in the other semi finals, winning 7-15,

The singles semi-finals will be at 4 and 5 PM, and the final on Sunday at noon. The doubles semi-finals will be Saturday evening at 6 and 7 PM and final at 1 PM Sunday. All times Eastern. Look for the action via the LPRT YouTube channel, as well as the LPRT Facebook page.

LPRT Boston Open
March 4-6, 2022 - Marlborough, Massachusetts

LPRT Singles - Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria d. 8) Samantha Salas, 15-5, 15-7
5) Natalia Mendez d. 13) Erika Manilla, 15-11, 12-15, 11-8

6) Angelica Barrios d. 3) Maria Jose Vargas, 7-15, 15-0, 11-7
2) Alexandra Herrera d. 7) Montserrat Mejia, 15-6, 9-15, 11-2

LPRT Singles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria v. 5) Natalia Mendez - 5 PM
2) Alexandra Herrera v. 6) Angelica Barrios - 4 PM

LPRT Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 7 PM
2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 6) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott - 6 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Manilla upsets Martinez to reach quarterfinals at 2022 LPRT Boston Open

Another Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) tournament and another upset win for Erika Manilla. This time the American defeated Guatemalan Gabriela Martinez, 15-13, 14-15, 11-8, in the Round of 16 at the 2022 LPRT Boston Open in Marlborough, Massachusetts on Friday. Although Martinez had a big lead in game two at 8-1, Manilla came back and had three chances to win it in two straight games, but couldn’t, as Martinez forced a tie-breaker. In the breaker, Manilla went up early, leading 10-2 and although Martinez came back to make it close, it was really just a matter of time before Manilla finished the game, winning when Martinez skipped a forehand serve return off a drive serve to the right side on what was Manilla’s 8th match point, and 5th in game three.

Manilla will play 5th Natalia Mendez next in the quarterfinals on Saturday, as Mendez came back from a game down to defeat her fellow Argentine player 12th seed Valeria Centellas, 10-15, 15-12, 11-7.

Cristina Amaya, the 19th seed, almost had a bigger upset than Manilla, as she had a chance to win against 3rd seed Maria Jose Vargas. But it was the Argentine player who prevailed over the Colombian, holding on to win in three games, 15-14, 14-15, 11-6. In the quarterfinals, Vargas will play 6th Angelica Barrios of Bolivia, as Barrios defeated 11th seed Carla Muñoz of Chile, 15-10, 15-13.

Paola Longoria, the LPRT’s #1 player, had some difficulty in her match with 17th seed Hollie Scott, but did win in two games, 15-12, 15-11. Scott was up in game one, 8-3 and 11-5, but she couldn’t close it out, as Longoria came back and tied it at 12-12. In doing so, Longoria used half lob serves, mostly to the left side - Scott’s backhand. Also, notable Scott didn’t take a timeout until Longoria led 14-12.

In game two, the were close early, and tied at 8-8. But again it was Longoria who made the push from there. In this case, she did so with some good drive serves to put Scott under pressure. Scott did fight off two match points at 14-11, but couldn’t score herself. And again she didn’t call any timeouts. Odd.

Longoria will play her long time doubles partner Samantha Salas, as the 8th seeded Salas beat 9th seed Rhonda Rajsich, 15-8, 15-6, in a battle of two veterans players.

LPRT #2 Alexandra Herrera of Mexico defeated 15th seeded American Kelani Lawrence, 15-10, 15-10, and will take on her doubles partner 7th seed Montserrat Mejia, who beat 10th seed Brenda Laime, 15-8, 15-1, in what was an all Mexican showdown. Thus, there will be no Laime upset of a 2nd seed this weekend, which has happened twice before this season.

In the doubles quarterfinals, 6th seeds Lawrence and Scott upset the 3rd seeds Mendez and Vargas, 15-13, 15-12, Friday night. They’ll play 2nd seeds Herrera and Mejia, who had to come back from a game down to get past 7th seeds Brenda Laime and Manilla, 13-15, 15-7, 11-5.

On the top of the draw, #1 seeds Longoria and Salas beat 9th seeds Sheryl Lotts and Rajsich, 15-12, 15-4. Lotts and Rajsich had a chance late in game one, as they were tied at 12-12 and serving. But they couldn’t score, and when Longoria and Salas got back in the service box, they finished out the game.

In the semi-finals Saturday, Longoria and Salas will play 4th seeds Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez, who had to come from a game back to defeat 5th seeds Angelica Barrios and Valeria Centellas, 10-15, 15-7, 11-5.

The quarterfinals will be 10 and 11 AM Saturday morning with the semi-finals at 4 and 5 PM, and the final on Sunday at noon. The doubles semi-finals will be Saturday evening at 6 and 7 PM and final at 1 PM Sunday. All times Eastern. Look for the action via the LPRT YouTube channel, as well as the LPRT Facebook page.

LPRT Boston Open
March 4-6, 2022 - Marlborough, Massachusetts

LPRT Singles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria d. 17) Hollie Scott, 15-12, 15-11
8) Samantha Salas d. 9) Rhonda Rajsich, 15-8, 15-6

5) Natalia Mendez d. 12) Valeria Centellas, 10-15, 15-12, 11-7
13) Erika Manilla d. 4) Gabriela Martinez, 15-13, 14-15, 11-8

3) Maria Jose Vargas d. 19) Cristina Amaya, 15-14, 14-15, 11-6
6) Angelica Barrios d. 11) Carla Muñoz, 15-10, 15-13

7) Montserrat Mejia d. 10) Brenda Laime, 15-8, 15-1
2) Alexandra Herrera d. 15) Kelani Lawrence, 15-10, 15-10

LPRT Singles - Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria v. 8) Samantha Salas - 11 AM
5) Natalia Mendez v. 13) Erika Manilla - 11 AM

3) Maria Jose Vargas v. 6) Angelica Barrios - 10 AM
2) Alexandra Herrera v. 7) Montserrat Mejia - 10 AM

LPRT Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 9) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich, 15-12, 15-4
4) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 5) Angelica Barrios & Valeria Centellas, 10-15, 15-7, 11-5

6) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott d. 3) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas, 15-13, 15-12
2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia d. 7) Brenda Laime & Erika Manilla, 13-15, 15-7, 11-5

LPRT Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 7 PM
2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 6) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott - 6 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Amaya, Scott & Manilla among first winners at 2022 LPRT Boston Open

No big upsets through the first round of match as the 2022 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Boston Open in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Cristina Amaya of Colombia, seeded 19th, won a battle with fellow veteran Nancy Enriquez of Mexico, the 14th seed, 15-6, 10-15, 11-5, in the Round of 32 and will play 3rd seed Maria Jose Vargas in the Round of 16 later today. Also, 17th seed American Hollie Scott won the 16/17 match against 16th seed Maria Renee Rodriguez of Guatemala, 15-11, 13-15, 11-1, to set up a show down with LPRT #1 Paola Longoria of Mexico.

One other Round of 32 match went to a tie-breaker, as American Erika Manilla came back from a game down to defeat current World Junior Champion Micaela Meneses from Bolivia, 13-15, 15-5, 11-7. Manilla will play 4th seed Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala in the 16s later.

The Round of 16 begins Friday afternoon at 3 PM. The quarterfinals will be 10 and 11 AM Saturday morning with the semi-finals at 4 and 5 PM, and the final on Sunday at noon. The doubles begin Friday afternoon with the 16s, and then the quarters will be Friday evening with the semis Saturday evening and final at 1 PM Sunday. All times Eastern. Look for the action via the LPRT YouTube channel, as well as the LPRT Facebook page.

LPRT Boston Open
March 4-6, 2022 - Marlborough, Massachusetts

LPRT Singles - Round of 32 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria - BYE
17) Hollie Scott v. 16) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-11, 13-15, 11-1

9) Rhonda Rajsich d. 24) Camila Rivero, 15-3, 15-9
8) Samantha Salas - BYE

5) Natalia Mendez - BYE
12) Valeria Centellas d. 21) Daniela Rico, 15-4, 15-12

13) Erika Manilla d. 20) Micaela Meneses, 13-15, 15-5, 11-7
4) Gabriela Martinez - BYE

3) Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
19) Cristina Amaya d. 14) Nancy Enriquez, 15-6, 10-15, 11-5

11) Carla Muñoz d. 22) Jenny Daza, 15-9, 15-9
6) Angelica Barrios - BYE

7) Montserrat Mejia - BYE
10) Brenda Laime d. 23) Annie Roberts, 15-3, 15-3

15) Kelani Lawrence d. 18) Sheryl Lotts, 15-6, 15-5
2) Alexandra Herrera - BYE

LPRT Singles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria v. 17) Hollie Scott - 6 PM
8) Samantha Salas v. 9) Rhonda Rajsich - 6 PM

5) Natalia Mendez v. 12) Valeria Centellas - 3 PM
4) Gabriela Martinez v. 13) Erika Manilla - 4 PM

3) Maria Jose Vargas v. 19) Cristina Amaya - 4 PM
6) Angelica Barrios v. 11) Carla Muñoz - 4 PM

7) Montserrat Mejia v. 10) Brenda Laime - 5 PM
2) Alexandra Herrera v. 15) Kelani Lawrence - 5 PM

LPRT Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
9) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich d. 8) Micaela Meneses & Carla Muñoz, 15-10, 15-5

5) Angelica Barrios & Valeria Centellas d. 12) Camila Rivero & Annie Roberts, 15-3, 15-2
4) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - BYE

3) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
6) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott d. 11) Cristina Amaya & Jenny Daza, 15-2, 15-4

7) Brenda Laime & Erika Manilla d. 10) Nancy Enriquez & Daniela Rico, 11-15, 15-12, 11-6
2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia - BYE

LPRT Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 9) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich - 8 PM
4) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez v. 5) Angelica Barrios & Valeria Centellas - 8 PM

3) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas v. 6) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott - 7 PM
2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 7) Brenda Laime & Erika Manilla - 7 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

2022 LPRT Boston Open - Preview

The 2022 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Boston Open begins Friday in Marlborough, Massachusetts, and there are 24 players in the draw, including 19 of the top 20 LPRT players. So, the field is stacked! Leading the field, of course, is Mexican Paola Longoria, the LPRT’s #1 player, but she’s not the most recent winner on tour. Rather LPRT #2 Alexandra Herrera of Mexico is, as Herrera got the better of Longoria two weeks ago in the Vero Beach Open final.

The win was Herrera’s first career LPRT title, and she also won doubles with fellow Mexican Montserrat Mejia, defeating Longoria and Maria Renee Rodriguez in the final. Such a strong field of players will make it difficult for Herrera to get back to back wins, but it might be even more difficult on the doubles side, as Samantha Salas - Longoria’s usual doubles partner - is in Boston, and they are the top seeds with Herrera and Mejia 2nd seeds. If Herrera does win back to back singles titles, she would be the first women to do so - not named Longoria - since October 2010, when Rhonda Rajsich won the US Open after winning in Cali, Colombia in September.

A strong field means there will be fun matches right from the get go. American Erika Manilla takes on current World Junior Champion Micaela Meneses from Bolivia in the Round of 32 with the winner facing 4th seed Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala. Also in the 32s, two veteran players Cristina Amaya of Colombia and Mexico’s Nancy Enriquez playoff with the winner going up against 3rd seed Maria Jose Vargas.

The 16/17 match will be 16th seed Maria Renee Rodriguez of Guatemala versus 17th seed American Hollie Scott with Longoria awaiting the winner. Herrera will play an American in the 16s, as two USA players - 15th seed Kelani Lawrence and 18th seed Sheryl Lotts - play each other in the 32s.

Perhaps more concerning for Herrera is that Brenda Laime of Mexico is the 10th seed, so could play the 2nd seed in the quarterfinals. That could be a concern as Laime has twice been an upset winner over 2nd seeded players this season, and one of those wins was over Herrera at the US Open. But Laime will need to beat 23rd seed Annie Roberts of the USA in the 32s and then 7th seed Mejia in the 16s to get a chance at Herrera this weekend. However, the other time Laime upset a 2nd seed this season she beat Mejia. Perhaps the stars will align for Laime in Massachusetts.

The Round of 32 begins Friday morning with the Round of 16 to follow in the afternoon. The quarterfinals will be 10 and 11 AM Saturday morning with the semi-finals at 4 and 5 PM, and the final on Sunday at noon. The doubles begin Friday afternoon with the 16s, and then the quarters will be Friday evening with the semis Saturday evening and final at 1 PM Sunday. All times Eastern. Look for the action via the LPRT YouTube channel, as well as the LPRT Facebook page.

LPRT Boston Open
March 4-6, 2022 - Marlborough, Massachusetts

LPRT Singles - Round of 32 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria - BYE
16) Hollie Scott v. 17) Maria Renee Rodriguez - Noon

9) Rhonda Rajsich v. 24) Camila Rivero - Noon
8) Samantha Salas - BYE

5) Natalia Mendez - BYE
12) Valeria Centellas v. 21) Daniela Rico - 10 AM

13) Erika Manilla d. 20) Micaela Meneses - 10 AM
4) Gabriela Martinez - BYE

3) Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
14) Nancy Enriquez v. 19) Cristina Amaya - 10 AM

11) Carla Muñoz v. 22) Jenny Daza - 11 AM
6) Angelica Barrios - BYE

7) Montserrat Mejia - BYE
10) Brenda Laime v. 23) Annie Roberts - 11 AM

15) Kelani Lawrence v. 18) Sheryl Lotts - 11 AM
2) Alexandra Herrera - BYE

LPRT Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
8) Micaela Meneses & Carla Muñoz v. 9) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich - 1 PM

5) Angelica Barrios & Valeria Centellas v. 12) Camila Rivero & Annie Roberts - Noon
4) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - BYE

3) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
6) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott v. 11) Cristina Amaya & Jenny Daza - 1 PM

7) Brenda Laime & Erika Manilla v. 10) Nancy Enriquez & Daniela Rico - 1 PM
2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….