Saturday, February 22, 2014

LPRT - 9th Winter Classic - Top four through to the semi-finals

The top four players will face off in the semi-finals of the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) 9th Annual Winter Classic in Overland Park, Kansas, as there were no upsets in the quarter-finals Saturday morning. But there were two matches that went five games.

Paola Longoria, the LPRT's #1 player, won in three straight games, though, as she defeated 9th seed Frédérique Lambert, 11-6, 11-4, 11-3. Longoria will meet fellow Mexican Samantha Salas Solis in the semis, as Salas Solis defeated Cristina Amaya, 11-7, 11-6, 11-5.

The tie-breakers happened in the two matches on the bottom of the draw. Rhonda Rajsich - the LPRT's #2 player - was cruising along against 7th seed Da'monique Davis after winning the first two games of their match. However, Davis turned it around in game three, winning that and game four to force a fifth game.

They were close in the fifth also, and Davis had a lead a 10-8. She served for the match twice, but could not get the last point. The first match point she was forced into an error and the second time Rajsich hit a winner to get the serve back.

Rajsich went on to win it, 11-6, 11-1, 7-11, 4-11, 12-10.

Maria Jose Vargas will be Rajsich's opponent in the semis, as she outlasted Aubrey Kirch in their quarter final match, 5-11, 11-9, 12-10, 9-11, 11-3. In the fifth, Vargas got nine straight points to win the game and match.

The semi-finals and final can be viewed via the LPRT Network with the semis at 5 PM and 6 PM Saturday and final at noon on Sunday. All times are CST.

LPRT 9th Annual Winter Classic
February 21-23, 2014 - Overland Park, Kansas

Quarter-finals
(seedings)

1 Paola Longoria d. 9 Frédérique Lambert, 11-6, 11-4, 11-3
4 Samantha Salas d. 5 Cristina Amaya, 11-7, 11-6, 11-5

3 Maria Jose Vargas d. 11 Aubrey Kirch, 5-11, 11-9, 12-10, 9-11, 11-3
2 Rhonda Rajsich d. 7 Da'monique Davis, 11-6, 11-1, 7-11, 4-11, 12-10

Semi-finals (seedings)

1 Paola Longoria v. 4 Samantha Salas
2 Rhonda Rajsich v. 3 Maria Jose Vargas

Follow the bouncing ball....

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