Upsets & tie-breakers in the Round of 16 at the 2022 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam

Upsets and tie-breakers were the order of the day in the Round of 16 at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) 2022 TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam in Overland Park, Kansas on Friday, and that included LPRT #1 Paola Longoria, who was pushed to a tie-breaker by 17th seed Sheryl Lotts, but Longoria prevailed in the end, winning 15-8, 11-15, 11-4. Longoria will play 9th seed Erika Manilla in the quarterfinals on Saturday, as Manilla beat 8th seed Jessica Parrilla, 15-8, 15-10, in the 16s, which was one of only two matches in the Round of 16 to be completed in two straight games.

LPRT #2 Alexandra Herrera was one of the upset victims Friday, as she lost to 18th seed Hollie Scott. Herrera apparently hurt her ankle recently, and while she tried to play on it against Scott, she clearly was not match fit. Thus, she made the decision to retire early in game one. However, Herrera did play her doubles match with Manilla, and they came back to defeat Brenda Laime and Carla Muñoz, 7-15, 15-7, 11-8.

Muñoz fared better singles, as she knocked off LPRT #3 Maria Jose Vargas in three games, 9-15, 15-13, 11-3. Muñoz will play defending TeamRoot.com champion Montserrat Mejia in the quarters on Saturday, as Meija beat 11th seed Kelani Lawrence, 15-11, 15-6, on Friday.

Also on Saturday, LPRT #5 Gabriela Martinez will play veteran Samantha Salas. Martinez held off 12th seed Brenda Laime, 15-11, 13-15, 11-5, and 13th seeded Salas upset LPRT #4 Natalia Mendez, 12-15, 15-13, 11-1.

Finally, veteran Rhonda Rajsich, the 10th seed, upset current Pan American Champion and 7th seed Angelica Barrios, 15-6, 12-15, 11-8. That win sets up an all American showdown with Scott on Saturday.

Doubles

Longoria and Salas - the top seeds in doubles - won their match against Lotts and Rajsich in two straight games, 15-7, 15-7, in the quarterfinals. In the semi-finals, they’ll play the 5th seeded Guatemala team of Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez, who upset the 4th seeds Mendez and Valeria Centellas, 15-8, 15-11.

Third seeds Mejia and Parrilla fended off 6th seeds Lawrence and Scott, 15-6, 9-15, 11-8, so they’ll play Herrera and Manilla in the semi-finals, which will be a battle of usual doubles partners, as Herrera and Mejia have played together for several years reaching the finals many times and winning some of them. This weekend one of them will again be in the final but at the expense of the other.

You can watch the LPRT TeamRoot.com event live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page). The singles quarterfinals will be 11 and noon Saturday with the semi-finals are at 4 and 5 PM, and the final Sunday at noon. The doubles semis will be at 6 and 7 PM Saturday with the doubles final at 1 PM Sunday. All times central. 

2022 LPRT TeamRoot.com, June 9-12, 2022
Overland Park, Kansas

Round of 16 - Friday 

1) Paola Longoria d. 17) Sheryl Lotts, 15-8, 11-15, 11-4
9) Erika Manilla d. 8) Jessica Parrilla, 15-8, 15-10

5) Gabriela Martinez d. 12) Brenda Laime, 15-11, 13-15, 11-5
13) Samantha Salas d. 4) Natalia Mendez, 12-15, 15-13, 11-1

14) Carla Muñoz d. 3) Maria Jose Vargas, 9-15, 15-13, 11-3
6) Montserrat Mejia d. 11) Kelani Lawrence, 15-11, 15-6

10) Rhonda Rajsich d. 7) Angelica Barrios, 15-6, 12-15, 11-8
18) Hollie Scott d. 2) Alexandra Herrera, 3-5, forfeit  

Quarterfinals - Saturday 

1) Paola Longoria v. 9) Erika Manilla - Noon
5) Gabriela Martinez v. 13) Samantha Salas - Noon

6) Montserrat Mejia v. 14) Carla Muñoz - 11 AM
10) Rhonda Rajsich v. 18) Hollie Scott - 11 AM

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 8) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich, 15-7, 15-7
5) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 4) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez, 15-8, 15-11

3) Montserrat Mejia & Jessica Parrilla d. 6) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott, 15-6, 9-15, 11-8
2) Alexandra Herrera & Erika Manilla d. 7) Brenda Laime & Carla Muñoz, 7-15, 15-7, 11-8

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 5) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 7 PM
2) Alexandra Herrera & Erika Manilla v. 3) Montserrat Mejia & Jessica Parrilla - 6 PM

 Follow the bouncing ball….