Mejia and Vargas to face off in doubles final also at 2023 LPRT Battle at the Beach Season Finale

Both Montserrat Mejia and Maria Jose Vargas will have a chance to be double winners Saturday at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) 2023 Battle at the Beach Season Finale in Norfolk, Virginia, as each of them won their respective semi-finals in doubles Saturday morning, and were already set to face off in the singles final Saturday afternoon.

Mejia and Alexandra Herrera - the 2nd seeds - had the more straightforward time of it, as they beat Kelani Lawrence and Erika Manilla, 15-5, 15-7, in the semis, while Vargas and Natalia Mendez also won in two games, but it was much closer, as they defeated top seeds Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas, 15-13, 15-11. It was the second consecutive day Vargas got the best of Longoria in a semi-final, as she did so in singles on Friday.

The Mendez and Vargas versus Longoria and Salas was an interesting one, because generally with two right handed players you’d put the stronger player on the left side. That’s how Longoria and Salas play, but Mendez played the left side with Vargas, although Vargas is the stronger player. Over the years, they’ve tried it the other way, but generally it seems they fit better when Mendez is on the left.

Early in game one, Mendez was on fire, as she and Vargas took a 6-2 lead. Longoria and Salas called a timeout, and afterwards they got back in the game getting within two at 8-6. Thus, Mendez and Vargas called a timeout.

When play resumed, Mendez and Vargas switched sides putting Vargas on the left and Mendez on the right. That seemed to be a rash decision, and it did not lead to good results, as Longoria and Salas tied the game at 9-9, and then went up 13-9, despite Mendez and Vargas switching back to their original positions.

But Mendez and Vargas did get the serve back trailing by four at 13-9. They made a three point run with the last coming from Longoria skipping a backhand pinch shot. Longoria and Salas called a timeout.

That timeout didn’t help, as Salas skipped a backhand shot on the next rally, which tied the game at 13-13. Vargas stepped up and hit a forehand reverse winner as she was falling over to her right to make it 14-13, and then she hit another forehand winner to end game one, 15-13.

Mendez and Vargas got off to a good start in game two with a 4-1 lead, but Longoria and Salas tied it at 4-4. Mendez and Vargas then won nine unanswered points to go up 13-4, despite Longoria and Salas taking a timeout at 8-4.

At that point, Longoria hit Vargas, as she was going for a forehand pinch shot from deep in the middle of the court. It was a hinder, and Vargas didn’t complain about it, but Longoria didn’t seem the least bit remorseful. It was an odd situation.

Longoria hit a backhand pinch winner on the next rally, which led to she and Salas going on a seven point scoring streak. Mendez and Vargas did serve during that run, but failed to score. They also took a timeout at 13-8, but that didn’t stop Longoria and Salas either.

Vargas got her side back in the service box with a winner over to the right side. A Salas winner put them half down immediately, but Mendez then ended a long rally with a forehand down the line shot as she was covering the right side that put her team on match point, 14-13. Vargas won it with a forehand pinch shot on the next rally.

Thus in a season ending LPRT event, Paola Longoria, who has been the LPRT's #1 player for 11 seasons, won’t be in either final. That hasn’t happened very often.

The singles final is Saturday at 4 PM with the doubles final to follow at 6 PM Saturday. All times EDT.

You can watch the LPRT Season Finale by going to the LPRT YouTube channel or their Facebook page.

2023 LPRT Battle at the Beach Season Finale
Norfolk, Virginia - June 15-17, 2023

LPRT Singles - Final - Saturday

2) Montserrat Mejia v. 12) Maria Jose Vargas - 4 PM

LPRT Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

5) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas d. 1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas, 15-13, 15-11
2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia d. 3) Kelani Lawrence & Erika Manilla, 15-5, 15-7

LPRT Doubles - Final - Saturday

2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 5) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - 6 PM

Follow the bouncing ball…..