Paola Longoria won the 2025 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Boston Open in Marlborough, Massachusetts on the weekend, defeating Montserrat Mejia, 12-15, 15-8, 11-10, in the final. Longoria has been in all five LPRT finals this season, but this is just her second win. The win solidifies Longoria as the LPRT’s #1 player.
In the semi-finals, Longoria beat 4th seed Alexandra Herrera, 15-9, 15-0, and Mejia upset 2nd seed Maria José Vargas, 15-8, 15-9.
Longoria had to come from a game down to win the final, and she trailed for most of game three, as Mejia had leads of 5-2, 7-3 and 10-5. At that point you could be excused for thinking that Mejia was going to defeat Longoria, as she had in the Arizona Open in January.
However, Longoria had other ideas. She fought off the first match point with a great backhand pinch return off a Mejia drive serve to the left. Longoria then ran off three points to make it 10-8, so Mejia called a timeout.
On the ensuing rally, Mejia stepped up to take a shot on the volley that she hammered to the left side for a winner and her second match point opportunity. But on that rally Mejia tried to hit a forehand pinch shot from deep in the court, and skipped it.
That was the first of a few questionable shot choices that contributed to Mejia’s loss. She skipped Longoria’s next serve - another Z serve to the left - which seemed like an unforced error, making it 10-9.
Mejia again tried a pinch shot from deep - a forehand reverse pinch as she ran around her backhand, which was left up, allowing Longoria to hit a winner to make it 10-10, setting up her first match point.
That was not a great rally. Longoria hit a Z serve to the left, and Mejia returned it with a loose down the line shot. Longoria’s shot was also a loose down the line shot, which gave Mejia an opportunity at the dashed line with Longoria right behind her.
She could have hit a backhand cross court or pinch shot, putting the ball away from Longoria, but instead Mejia went back down the line, which again wasn’t a great shot, and allowed Longoria to hit it cross court.
That ball came off the back wall, so Mejia was able to get to it, hitting a cross court in return. However, her ball went wide, coming off the left wall to a waiting Longoria, who bunted it down the left side for the match winner.
Longoria’s shot was also loose, but Mejia had to go around her to get to it, and couldn’t do so in time. It seemed like it could have been a hinder, but that wasn’t called, and Mejia - perhaps surprisingly - didn’t appeal for one.
Thus, a great match with a great tie-breaker comeback didn’t have a great ending.
Notably, four of the five LPRT singles finals have gone to tie-breaker this season.
Mejia and Alexandra Herrera won the doubles final, as they beat 3rd seeds Valeria Centellas and Maria Jose Vargas, 15-12, 15-5.
The semi-finals were both close matches, as Herrera and Mejia defeated 4th seeds Angelica Barrios and Brenda Laime, 15-13, 15-14, in two close games, and Centellas and Vargas eked out a win over 2nd seeds Natalia Mendez and Carla Muñoz, 15-7, 14-15, 11-10.
The LPRT has an outdoor event - the Eve Promotions Beach Bash - scheduled for March 20-23 in Hollywood Beach, Florida, but no further indoor events, so we’re unsure if the Boston Open is the last event of the 2024-25 season, or whether there will be any further events. Nonetheless, if you missed any of the action from Massachusetts, check out the LPRT YouTube channel.
2025 LPRT Boston Open
Marlborough, Massachusetts - March 7-9, 2025
Singles Final
1) Paola Longoria d. 3) Montserrat Mejia, 12-15, 15-8, 11-10
Singles Semi-finals
1) Paola Longoria d. 4) Alexandra Herrera, 15-9, 15-0
3) Montserrat Mejia d. 2) Maria José Vargas, 15-8, 15-9
Singles Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria d. 8) Natalia Mendez, 15-1, 15-10
4) Alexandra Herrera d. 5) Gabriela Martinez, 15-13, 8-15, 11-6
3) Montserrat Mejia d. 6) Kelani Lawrence, 15-7, 15-5
2) Maria José Vargas d. 7) Brenda Laime, 15-14, 15-13
Singles Round of 16
1) Paola Longoria d. 16) Angelica Barrios, 15-13, 15-11
8) Natalia Mendez d. 24) Camila Rivero, 15-4, 15-7
5) Gabriela Martinez d. 21) Hollie Scott, 15-12, 15-2
4) Alexandra Herrera d. 20) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-12, 15-2
3) Montserrat Mejia d. 14) Maria Paz Riquelme, 15-0, 15-0
6) Kelani Lawrence d. 22) Annie Sanchez, 15-14, 15-12
7) Brenda Laime d. 10) Cristina Amaya, 15-8, 15-6
2) Maria José Vargas d. 15) Sheryl Lotts, 15-10, 13-15, 11-9
Singles Round of 32
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
16) Angelica Barrios d. 17) Naomi Ros, 15-6, 15-4
24) Camila Rivero d. 9) Carla Muñoz, 10-15, 15-9, 11-8
8) Natalia Mendez d. 25) Jolene Sullivan, 15-4, 15-0
5) Gabriela Martinez - BYE
21) Hollie Scott d. 12) Lexi York, 15-7, 15-11
20) Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 13) Stephanie Synhorst, 15-6, 15-6
4) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
3) Montserrat Mejia - BYE
14) Maria Paz Riquelme d. 19) Khyathi Velpuri, 15-5, 15-5
22) Annie Sanchez d. 11) Jessica Parrilla, 7-15, 15-10, 11-9
6) Kelani Lawrence d. 27) Ofelia Wilscam, 15-1, 15-1
7) Brenda Laime d. 26) Chloe Jauvin, 15-1, 15-1
10) Cristina Amaya d. 23) Juliette Parent, 15-6, 6-15, 11-6
15) Sheryl Lotts d. 18) Valeria Centellas, 15-11, 15-11
2) Maria José Vargas - BYE
Doubles - Final
1) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia d. 3) Valeria Centellas & Maria Jose Vargas, 15-12, 15-5
Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia d. 4) Angelica Barrios & Brenda Laime, 15-13, 15-14
3) Valeria Centellas & Maria Jose Vargas d. 2) Natalia Mendez & Carla Muñoz, 15-7, 14-15, 11-10
Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia d. 8) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-14, 15-13
4) Angelica Barrios & Brenda Laime d. 5) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott, 15-11, 15-7
3) Valeria Centellas & Maria Jose Vargas d. 6) Cristina Amaya & Jessica Parrilla, forfeit
2) Natalia Mendez & Carla Muñoz d. 7) Sheryl Lotts & Lexi York, 15-4, 15-9
Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday
1) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia - BYE
8) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 9) Juliette Parent & Maria Paz Riquelme, 15-0, 15-4
5) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott d. 12) Camila Rivero & Annie Sanchez, 15-3, 15-3
4) Angelica Barrios & Brenda Laime d. 13) Chloe Jauvin & Ofelia Wilscam, 15-3, 15-0
3) Valeria Centellas & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
6) Cristina Amaya & Jessica Parrilla d. 11) Jolene Sullivan & Khyathi Velpuri, 15-10, 15-2
7) Sheryl Lotts & Lexi York d. 10) Naomi Ros & Stephanie Synhorst, 15-1, 15-12
2) Natalia Mendez & Carla Muñoz - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
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