#2 posting 4.18.2008
badminton news & information
ST. PAUL JOHNSON governors 5,
ST. PAUL CENTRAL minutemen 2
In the last first round match in the St. Paul conference it was Johnson maintaining their undefeated streak at 9-0 with a 5-2 win over host Central. Johnson took three of the singles, and a pair of doubles in the victory. Three matches went the distance and Johnson took two of those. There weren't many matches that were open and shut. At fourth singles Central moved Aranya Thao up from JV first singles. For Johnson, Pang Thao returned to action, but with a bandaged knee and at second singles. She won in three games taking the first game, falling in the second and then taking the third. With Thao moving to second singles that meant that Kia Thao returned to first doubles with partner Shoua Vang after being split up against Eden Prairie. That duo lost in three however to Central's Doua Thao and Da Chang. The Central pair had to win the final two games for the win.
I barely made it to the game on time thanks to the rain with the highways jammed more than normal. On top of that the door to the gym was locked so I had to go around trying to find the open door. Also I had to dodge the Central track team practicing in the hall ways.
FIRST SINGLES
Johnson's Goly Yang won in two games, but my numbers in game one an
d the final score were off in game one. In game two the numbers agreed. Yang had a 7-2 lead early in the first game after a five point serve. Chang cut it to 10-7 after her 5th serve. Chang used a five point service on her 6th serve to take a 13-12 lead. All five points came via Yang hitting errors. Chang held leads at 14-12, and 16-14. After a Yang soft drive for a side out she added two points to regain the lead at 17-16. Chang got the bird back and then had what appeared to be a three point serve to get to 20-17. However there may have been a do over on point 19 as one of the doubles team tumbled and rolled onto the court. If that was the case then it was 19-17. After that point it was 5-2 for Yang and she walked off the court with a 24-22 win. My numbers had 22-22. If you take away the tumble then it is 22-21 in favor of Yang. The first game lasted 9:29.
In game two Yang rode the momentum and only trailed at 1-0. After that Yang was able to squeeze points on her 3rd through 6th serve. It was 12-8 after her 6th serve. Yang used drop shots for points five times in game two. Yang had another 3 point run at 16-10. Then it was a side out game with 7 straight side outs. Chang breathed new life into her game with three points including an ace at point 17 to make it 19-17. Yang stopped the run with a drive to make it 20-17. Chang came up with a clear in the corner to make it 20-18. On her serve Yang got the final point on a Chang hit that went wide.
FIRST SINGLES NUMBERS
SIDEOUTS:
Yang 14/23-.609; Chang 11/23-.478
RUNS OF 3+:
Yang 5, Chang 4
POINTS:
Yang 43
Winners 17: Drops 9, Soft Drives 3, Drives 2, Smashes 2, Clears 1
Chang Errors 26: hitting 23 (Wide 10, Net 8, Deep 4, Fan 1), serving 3 (short 1, Deep 1, Wide 1)
Chang 40
Winners 15: Drops 4, Clears 4, Smashes 3, Drives 2, Soft Drives 1, Aces 1
Yang Errors: 23: Hitting 23 (Net 11, Wide 8, Drives 3, Fans 1), Serving 2 (deep 2)
Time: 18:22 minutes
OTHER MATCHES
After that my attention shifted one court to my right with first doubles. It was tied at 1-1 and the first few points of the third game already had been tallied. The Central duo of Thao and Chang led early and maintained their advantage throughout the final frame. The Johnson pair had a three point run to close to 14-12, but they never got closer. Central used drives to finish the match with the final two points after the Johnson closed one final time to 19-17. Six of the last eight Central points came off drives.
After that the match was 2-2. But Central wasn't going to get another victory.
SINGLES
1. Goly Yang (J) beat Yer Chang 24-22, 21-18
2. Pang Thao (J) beat Kari Finseth 21-14, 17-21, 21-16
3. Ka Yang (C) beat Belick Pha 21-12, 21-18
4. Olamade Fudahunsi (J) beat Aranya Thao 21-11, 21-12
DOUBLES
1. Melissa Vang/Nitsan Chang (C) beat Kia Thao/Shoua Vang 20-22, 21-17, 21-17
2. Ma Thao Xiong/Sheng Tha (J) beat Malinda Xiong/Mai See Xiong 18-21, 21-14, 21-15
3. Cha Lor/Hlee Vang (J) beat Mai Sia Yang/Phoua Xiong 21-17, 21-17
BY THE NUMBERS
SINGLES
Matches: Johnson 3-1 .750
Games: Johnson 7-2 .778
Points: Johnson 176-154 .533
decided by 10+: Johnson 1-0
decided by 3 or less: 1-1
DOUBLES
matches: Johnson 2-1 .667
games: Johnson 5-3 .625
points: Johnson 158-146 .520
decided by 10+: 0-0
decided by 3-: 1-1
Next up: tomorrow morning
