In her 1st final, Mejia plays Longoria at 2019 LPRT Turkey Shoot Open

Montserrat Mejia will play in her 1st Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) final Sunday at the 2019 LPRT Turkey Shoot Open in Lombard, Illinois, because she defeated Natalia Mendez in the semi-finals, 15-14, 8-15, 11-4. The final will be Mejia’s first, but Paola Longoria’s 109th, as the LPRT #1 beat Alexandra Herrera in the other semi-final, 15-8, 15-9.

In game one of their match, Mejia had a 8-0 lead on Mendez, but Mendez fought back to tie it at 12-12. From there, Mendez pushed on and got to game point first, when Mejia skipped a shot to make it 14-12. But Mendez’s game point opportunity went by when she skipped a forehand shot as she slipped to the floor.

Mejia took full advantage of the opportunity gifted to her by hitting forehand winners on the next three rallies to close out the game. The first two were down the line, the second being right along the right side wall. The third was a wide angle pass as Mejia was forward on the right side. On the last rally, Mendez had two chances to end it, as the ball came high off the back wall, but she left her shots up, which gave Mejia the opportunity to hit a winner, making it 15-13.

Mendez was undetered as she bounced back to win game two, 15-8, and that set up the tie-breaker.

The breaker was strange, because Mendez scored the first four points, and she thought she had a 5th with a drive serve ace to the right side. However, the referee saw it short, and although Mendez appealed the decision, one of the line judges agreed with the referee’s call, so it was second serve. She got her second serve in, but lost the rally. And Mendez didn’t score again.

Mejia tied the game at 4-4 with four points on almost as many rallies. They then played 11 rallies at 4-4 before the deadlock broke after Mendez skipped a shot with Mejia serving. With the deadlock over, Mejia scored scored five more points on consecutive rallies to get to match point at 10-4. Mendez called timeouts at 6-4 and 9-4, but that didn’t stop Mejia.

But Mendez did stop two game points, but wasn’t able to score one herself. Then Mejia converted the third match point with a backhand pinch shot that was the third shot of a rally that began with a Z serve to the left side that Mendez cut off with a backhand return, but only managed to put the ball into the center, where Mejia was able to set up for the winning pinch shot. Mendez relied on that Z serve in the second half of the breaker, and it was only late that Mendez tried to cut them off.

Watch the singles final live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page) at noon Sunday. The doubles final will follow at 1 PM. All times central.

2019 LPRT Turkey Shoot, November 21-24, 2019
Lombard, Illinois

Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria d. 4) Alexandra Herrera, 15-8, 15-9
10) Montserrat Mejia d. 6) Natalia Mendez, 15-14, 8-15, 11-4

Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria v. 10) Montserrat Mejia - Noon

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 4) Nancy Enriquez & Jessica Parrilla, 15-5, 15-12
3) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia d. 2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas, 15-5, 15-4

Doubles - Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 3) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia - 1 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….