Early Rounds at the 2024 LPRT Sweet Caroline Open

Two upsets in the Round of 16 at the 2024 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Sweet Caroline Open in Greenville, South Carolina, although neither are big surprises. Eleventh seed Natalia Mendez defeated 6th seed Brenda Jaime, 15-12, 15-9, and 9th seed Carla Muñoz beat 8th seed Cristina Amaya, 15-7, 15-6.

In the quarterfinals, Mendez will play LPRT #3 Paola Longoria, who defeated 14th seed Lexi York, 15-9, 15-2, and Muñoz will be up against LPRT #1 Maria Jose Vargas, who beat 17th seed Michelle Key, 15-3, 15-4.

In a near upset, Naomi Ros, the 15th seed, won the first game against LPRT #2 Montserrat Mejia, but Mejia came back to win in three games, 5-15, 15-5, 11-6. She’ll play 7th seed Kelani Lawrence in the quarters, as Lawrence defeated 10th seed Jessica Parrilla, 15-14, 15-5, in the Round of 16.

The second seeds in doubles - Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas - were also forced into a tie-breaker, and also prevailed in the end, as they defeated 7th seeds Brenda Laime and Sheryl Lotts, 14-15, 15-8, 11-4 in the quarterfinals. They’ll play 3rd seeds Lawrence and Hollie Scott in the semi-finals Saturday, as Lawrence and Scott beat Amaya and Maria Paz Riquelme, 15-5, 15-3.

There was another tie-breaker in the doubles quarters as 5th seeds Gabriela Martinez and Jessica Parrilla upset 4th seeds Michelle Key and Carla Muñoz, 14-15, 15-13, 11-8. In the semi-finals on Saturday, Martinez and Parrilla will play top seeds Alexandra Herrera and Montserrat Mejia, who beat Ros and York, 15-4, 15-5, in the quarters.

Play continues Saturday morning with the singles quarterfinals at 10 and 11 AM and then the semi-finals at 4 and 5 PM. The doubles semi-finals will be at 6 and 7 PM Saturday. The finals will be Sunday at 11 AM (singles) and noon (doubles). You can watch the action live from Greenville via the LPRT YouTube channel. All times eastern.

2024 LPRT Sweet Caroline Open
Greenville, South Carolina, - May 17-19, 2024

Singles Round of 32 - Friday

1) Maria José Vargas - BYE
17) Michelle Key d. 16) Stephanie Synhorst, 15-5, 15-9

9) Carla Muñoz - BYE
8) Cristina Amaya - BYE

5) Gabriela Martinez - BYE
21) Sheryl Lotts d. 12) Hollie Scott, 15-4, 10-15, 11-5

20) Martina Katz d. 13) Maria Paz Riquelme, 15-7, 15-8
4) Alexandra Herrera - BYE

3) Paola Longoria - BYE
14) Lexi York d. 19) Khyathi Velpuri, 15-1, 15-7

11) Natalia Mendez d. 22) Kelly Mortensen, 15-1, 15-1
6) Brenda Laime - BYE

7) Kelani Lawrence - BYE
10) Jessica Parrilla d. 18) Andrea Martinez, 15-4, 15-0

15) Naomi Ros d. 18) Sunshine Arterburn, forfeit
2) Montserrat Mejia - BYE

Singles Round of 16 - Friday

1) Maria José Vargas d. 17) Michelle Key, 15-3, 15-4
9) Carla Muñoz d. 8) Cristina Amaya, 15-7, 15-6

5) Gabriela Martinez d. 21) Sheryl Lotts, 15-5, 15-7
4) Alexandra Herrera d. 20) Martina Katz, 15-10, 15-3

3) Paola Longoria d. 14) Lexi York, 15-9, 15-2
11) Natalia Mendez d. 6) Brenda Laime, 15-12, 15-9

7) Kelani Lawrence d. 10) Jessica Parrilla, 15-14, 15-5
2) Montserrat Mejia d. 15) Naomi Ros, 5-15, 15-5, 11-6

Singles Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Maria José Vargas v. 9) Carla Muñoz - 11 AM
4) Alexandra Herrera v. 5) Gabriela Martinez - 11 AM

3) Paola Longoria v. 11) Natalia Mendez - 10 AM
2) Montserrat Mejia v. 7) Kelani Lawrence - 10 AM

Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia - BYE

8) Naomi Ros & Lexi York d. 9) Martina Katz & Stephanie Synhorst, 15-2, 15-12

5) Gabriela Martinez & Jessica Parrilla - BYE
4) Michelle Key & Carla Muñoz - BYE

3) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott - BYE
6) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme - BYE

7) Brenda Laime & Sheryl Lotts d. 10) Andrea Martinez & Kelly Mortensen, 15-2, 15-0
2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia d. 8) Naomi Ros & Lexi York, 15-4, 15-5
5) Gabriela Martinez & Jessica Parrilla d. 4) Michelle Key & Carla Muñoz, 14-15, 15-13, 11-8

3) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott d. 6) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme, 15-5, 15-3
2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas d. 7) Brenda Laime & Sheryl Lotts, 14-15, 15-8, 11-4

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 5) Gabriela Martinez & Jessica Parrilla - 7 PM
2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas v. 3) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott - 6 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….