Out & About: Washburn/Southwest

#2 posting 4.25.2007
your daily dose of badminton news & information

MINNEAPOLIS WASHBURN millers 5
MINNEAPOLIS SOUTHWEST lakers 2

Washburn beat Southwest for the second time this year. In the first contest Washburn beat a short handed Southwest team 4-3. Southwest was at full strength today and Washburn kept up its recent hot string with the victory. The Millers have won three in a row including 4-3 wins over conference leader Edison and another 4-3 effort against Henry.

Washburn's biggest margin win was at first single (see story below). The other wins had tightrope qualities. Dani Sack at Second singles combined margin of victory was 6 points, at second doubles the pair of Montisha Puthwong and Jennie Harrop had two wins by two points. Washburn also took two of the three matches that went to three games. At fourth singles Sarah Radcliffe sandwiched her wins. At first doubles Mai Vang and Xee Lee won games two and three.

FIRST SINGLES
In the first contest between Washburn's Rina Maetzo and Southwest's Martha Streng Maetzo won 13 and 18. Today Maetzo cut that 31 points down to 18 with a 10, 7 win. First a bit about the tight, tight gym atmosphere at Southwest. The backline is flush up on the bleachers so the racket has no swing room. A player needs to claim a let if there was interference. The let was only called once, but it did play a part in not going after birds, and mistaken judgements.

As you can see from the numbers below Maetzo had big runs and she started off with 7 straight points, 6 after a side out. In that initial run Maetzo had two aces. Streng was on the bleachers in this game. Maetzo added six more on her second serve to put it at 14-3. Maetzo didn't side out against Streng except on serve one, four and five. The closest Streng got was 17-9. Maetzo's last three points came on hitting errors 21-10.

Streng got the side out on Maetzo's first serve, but that was the last time. These games were pretty short. For example Streng only had four services in game two. This compares to the 14 in the 3rd doubles yesterday between Thao and Kieffaber. At first singles yesterday there were 11 serves per game. So points were coming pretty easily. Anyhow Streng led 3-0 with two aces (Maetzo was on the bleacher side). With a missed serve Maetzo got the bird for the first time, and she ran off five points in a row for a 6-3 lead. Maetzo continued to get at least one point off her serve. She led 13-7 when Maetzo got the serve for the fifth time. Streng never got the bird again as Maetzo rolled off 8 straight points including two aces (points 19 and 20). In another indication of how fast the game took place the time for both games checked in at 10:27. That was about how long one 3rd doubles game lasted yesterday.

SIDEOUTS:
Maetzo 4/10 .400; Streng 2/10 .200
SERVE RUNS:
Maetzo 5--longest 8
POINTS:
Maetzo 42 Winners 24: Smashes 6 (1 poke); Drops 6; Drives 5 (1 soft); Aces 5; Clears 2
Streng Errors 18: hitting 15 (Wide 7, Net 6m, Fan 1, Deep 1); serving 3 (deep, net, wide).
Streng 18: Winners 11: Clears 6, Aces 2, Smashes 2, Drives 1 (1 soft)
Maetzo Errors 7: hitting 6 (net 4, wide 2), serving 1 (wide)
Time: 10:42

SINGLES
1. Rina Maetzo (W) def. Martha Streng 21-10, 21-7
2. Dani Sack (W) def. Astia Roper-Batker 21-17, 23-21
3. Emma Kullberg (SW) def Maly Yi 21-13, 21-12
4. Sarah Radcliffe (W) def Sarah Abdelwalhab 21-17, 20-22, 21-17
DOUBLES
1. Mai Vang/Xee Lee (W) def Anna Yarborough/Maya Adler 16-21, 21-16, 21-14
2. Montisha Puthwong/Jennie Harrop (W) def Alba Bilani/Abby Knutson 24-22, 21-19
3. Betsy Multoy/Camille Mahlum (SW) def Zee Vue/Nicole Weishaar 21-18, 21-23, 21-19

BY THE NUMBERS
SINGLES
Matches: Washburn 3-1 .750
Games: Washburn 6-3 .667
Points: Washburn 173-153 .531
decided by 10+: Washburn 2-0
decided by 3 or less: 1-1
DOUBLES
matches: Washburn 2-1 .667
games: Washburn 5-3 .625
points: Washburn 163-155 .513
decided by 10+: none
decided by 3: Washburn 3-2 .600

Next up: tomorrow morning