Harding Sweeps Central for 5th Title

#1 posting 5.17.2006

HARDING WINS STATE
In an all St. Paul final four, Harding won its fifth title in seven years with a sweep over the suprising Central team. Harding has won titles in 2000, 2002, 03, 04 and today. Last year Johnson won the tournament.

Central, the #6 seed, put together two upsets tor reach the final. Yesterday they got by #3 St. Paul Arlington, and in the semis beat #2 Johnson 4-3 with the deciding contest coming in second doubles with Central winning 15-4, 12-15, 15-11.

In the third place contest Como Park beat Johnson 4-3.

SEMIFINALS
Harding 6, Como Park 1
Dee Xiong prevented the sweep at 3rd singles with a two game sweep. The only other Como Park player to take a game was Pao Sue Vue at Second singles in the second game, and that was extra points 13-12.
SINGLES
1. Pang Thao (H) def Sheng Yang 11-4, 11-6
In game one Pang Thao got off to a 4-0 start with three points off her first service. Yang closed the gap to 6-4 on her 8th serve. Of the four points scored for Yang, three were Thao hitting errors. Thao wrapped up the win with four points on her 10th serve with a smash as an exclamation point on point 11.
Again Thao grabbed the 4-0 lead after two serves. Yang tied it with three points on her second serve, and one more on serve three. Again Thao provide three of the points on hitting errors. Thao regained the lead with two drops on serve six. Yang tied it with two more hitting error points on her 9th serve. Thao strung together three points with two drops sandwiching a hitting error for a 9-6 lead after her 10th serve. After a side out, Thao finished off the contest with a drop and a hitting error.
2. Mee Xiong (H) def Pao Sue Vue 11-4, 12-13, 11-2
Extra session game two, but Xiong took control of game 3
3. Dee Xiong (CP) def Pang Shoua Vang 11-0, 11-8
A skunk in game one for Dee Xiong
4. Stephanie King (H) def Yer Yang 11-5, 8-11, 11-?
forgot to get the final result
DOUBLES
1. Mai Tria Lee/Kaa Bao Yang (H) def Ping Hoang/Ka Yang 15-1, 15-11
2. Dia Xiong/Pa Nhia Yang (H) def Ker Lor/Pa Nhia Lee 15-0, 15-5
Xiong & Yang got a skunk in game one.
3. Ger Lee/Na Lee Xiong (H) def Mai Tia Yang/Mai Kao Yang 15-10, 15-5

Central 4, Johnson 3
SINGLES
1. Lee Vue (C) def Yer Vue 11-4, 11-4
2. Cydney Vang (J) def Nha Phan 11-4, 11-2
3. Yer Vang (C) def Linda Xiong 6-11, 11-3, 11-4
4. Pakou Vang (J) def Phetsamay Chindavong 1-11, 11-8, 11-3
DOUBLES
1. Joua Lor/Cassey Quach (C) def Karen Obermeyer-Kolb/Pang Thao 15-8, 15-4
2. Xiong Xiong/Tracy Vangh (C) def Kiara Nelson/Blia Cha 15-4, 12-15, 15-11
3. Belick Pha/Kai Thao (J) def Xai Lee/Ashley Vitulli 15-9, 9-15, 17-15

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Harding 7, Central 0
1. Pang Thao (H) def Lee Vue 11-4, 11-1
Thao raced out to a 6-0 lead after one serve with a mix of winners including two drops, two drives, an ace, and two hitting errors by Vue. Vue got one point each at serve one and two, both on Thao hitting errors. On Thao's 4th serve she added three more points for a 9-2 lead. The first game ended on Thao's 8th serve with a drive.
Thao broke game two open on her 4th serve with 6 points to make it 8-1. She started the run with two drops, followed by two drives then two hitting errors. Thao ended the match with two points on her 7th serve including a smash for point 11.
2. Mee Xiong (H) def Nah Phan 11-3, 3-11, 11-1
Xiong came back after a flip in game two with a strong performace in game three. Also had the off game two in the semis.
3. Pang Shoua Vang (H) def Yer Vang 5-11, 11-8, 13-12
final game to enter into the sweep, but as you can see it went to extra points.
4. Stephanie King (H) def Phetsamay Chindavong 11-2, 11-5
DOUBLES
1. Mai Tria Lee/Kaa Bao Yang (H) def Joua Lor/Cassey Quach 15-10, 10-15, 15-12
2. Dia Xiong/Pa Nhia Yang (H) def Xiong Xiong/Tracy Vangh 15-9, 15-1
3. Ger Lee/Na Lee Xiong (H) def Xai Lee/Ashley Vitulli 15-6, 15-1

THIRD PLACE
Como Park 4, Johnson 3
SINGLES
1. Sheng Yang (CP) def Yer Vue 11-6, 11-7
2. Paosue Vue (CP) def Cydney Vang 11-7, 11-6
3. Linda Xiong (J) def Dee Xiong 11-4, 11-8
4. Pakou Vang (J) def Yer Yang 11-4, 11-9
DOUBLES
1. Ping Hoang/Ka Yang (CP) def Karen Obermeyer-Kolb/Pang Thao 9-15, 15-11, 15-2
2. Pa Nhia Moua/Kao Lee Xiong (J) def Panhia Lee/Ker Lor 15-14, 7-15, 15-13
3. Mai Tia Yang/Mai Kao Yang (CP) def Belick Pha/Kia Thao 7-15, 15-3, 15-8

Next up: Tomorrow the individual State titles will start at Harding at 3 pm. Both singles and doubles will work down to a final four for the tournament finale on Friday. These singles players will enter into the doubles side of the tournament
Kalia Yang, Humboldt will partner with usual #2 singles Lee Thao to form the #1 doubles
Yer Vue, Johnson will partner with usual #2 singles Cydney Vang to form #1 doubles