Saturday, June 11, 2022

Three repeat semi-finalists & a first timer at the 2022 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam

Wins came in straight games in the quarterfinals at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) 2022 TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam in Overland Park, Kansas after several tie-breakers in the Round of 16 on Friday. LPRT #1 Paola Longoria played one of the longest matches in the quarters, as she defeated 9th seed Erika Manilla, 15-4, 15-13. After being dominated in the first game, Manilla came back hard in game two, and almost forced it to a breaker only to see the #1 close it out in two games.

Longoria will play a familiar foe in the semi-finals later Saturday, when she faces her long time doubles parter and 13th seed Samantha Salas. Salas upset LPRT #5 Gabriela Martinez, 15-5, 15-12, in the quarters.

On the bottom half of the draw, it’ll be defending TeamRoot.com champion Montserrat Mejia against Hollie Scott. Mejia had a dominating win over 14th seed Carla Muñoz, 15-1, 15-7, and Scott, the 18th seed, defeated the 10th seed veteran Rhonda Rajsich, 15-6, 15-5, to reach the semi-finals for the first time in her career.

This is the last event of the 2021-22 LPRT season, so the season ending rankings will be determined after this event. Despite her loss, Manilla will be in the top 10 for the first time in her career. Salas may have an outside chance of making the top 10, as she comes in at #13, and is 36.5 points behind Rajsich in 10th. But Salas was also a semi-finalist in last year’s TeamRoot.com event, while Rajsich lost in the Round of 16, so Salas is defending more points than Rajsich, who should gain points from getting to the quarterfinals this year, while Salas needs to get to the final to do better than she did last year.

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 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  

Quarterfinals - Saturday 

1) Paola Longoria d. 9) Erika Manilla, 15-4, 15-13
13) Samantha Salas d. 5) Gabriela Martinez, 15-5, 15-12

6) Montserrat Mejia d. 14) Carla Muñoz, 15-1, 15-7
18) Hollie Scott d. 10) Rhonda Rajsich, 15-6, 15-5  

Semi-finals - Saturday 

1) Paola Longoria v. 13) Samantha Salas - 5 PM
6) Montserrat Mejia v. 18) Hollie Scott - 4 PM

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….

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