Out & About: Johnson/Arlington

#2 posting 3.29.2007
your periodic dose of badminton news & information

ST. PAUL JOHNSON governors 4,
ST. PAUL ARLINGTON phoenix 3

Johnson won this St. Paul battle by sweeping the doubles and taking 4th singles. The match hung in the balance as the 4th singles was the last to come in. With the win Johnson is now 1-1 in the St. Paul City, 2-2 overall. Arlington is 0-2 in the city, 2-3 overall.

FIRST SINGLES
Ling Wang of Arlington took the first four points and never trailed, althougth the game was tied a variety of times. Wang led 7-4 when Pa Kou Vang scroed three in a row to tie it at 7. After Wang broke serve, each player traded serves for the next four services. Wang was the first to score again on her serve with a clear to make it 13-11. Vang placed a drop to get serve back and then had a drive on her serve to tie it at 13. Wang returned the favor with her own drive for point 14. Wang received a point on a hitting error and then was handcuffed to make it 15-14. Vang served deep and then Wang kept serve for the next five points. She started the run with two clears (and one fan) and then sandwiched a drop between two drives. Wang took game one 21-14.

Wang had first serve and scored on her first serve as Vang fanned on a shot. For the next 9 serves the other player held to make it 5-5. On Vang's 5th serve she put together three points with a drive, a clear, and then a fan. She ended her own serve by serving deep. After that serve however Vang would not trail. The fact was Wang was only able to score twice on her serve---the first tiime and then on her 10th time. By that time she trailed 15-9 before ending Pa Kou Vang's serve with a drop. Ling Wang then put together four straight points with a drop and three Pa Kou Vang hitting errors. That put the score at 15-14. Vang was able to clear to stop the momentum and regain the edged. She then got a five point run with the first four all hitting errors. Vang finished with a clear for point 21. I had the score 21-14. It was reported 21-15.

On the first 7 services in game three only Pa Kou Vang was able to score as Ling Wang was wide on a shot. The biggest Vang lead was one point, the last time at 4-3. The game remained tight with one point separating the two until Ling Wang's 6th serve. She then ran off six straight points to break an 8-7 game into 14-7. In the run Wang had two drops, with a handcuff, two clears, and one Vang hitting error. Her serve ended on a Ling Wang hitting error that went deep. That started a 4-1 run by Vang as she cut the lead to 15-11. But on Ling Wang's 8th serve she added four more points to put the game at match point 20-11. Wang hit deep to give the serve back to Pa Kou Vang. She hit deep to finish this match 21-12.

SIDEOUTS
Wang: 19/30, .633; Vang 19/29 .655.
SERVE RUNS OF 3+
Wang 5, Vang 2
POINTS
Ling Wang (A): 56; J Hitting Errors: 20 (net 8, wide 7, fans 3, deep 2); Drops 16, Clears 7, Drives 6, Missed serves (deep) 4; Smash 2, Handcuff 1
Pa Kou Vang (J): 47; A Hitting Errors: 19 (deep 7, wide 5, net 5, fan 2); Drops 13, Clears 9, Drives 3, Handcuffs 2, Serve (short) 1

FOURTH SINGLES
I didn't get to this match until the tail end and Gina Garcia was dominating scoring 10 of the last 11 points. Six of the points came via Arlington hitting errors. With Garcia's win Johnson took the match 4-3.

SINGLES
1. Ling Wang (A) def. Pa Kou Vang 21-14, 15-21, 21-12
2. Pam Vang (A) def. Ye Thao 21-6, 21-8
3. Kazou Yang (A) def. Kia Thao 21-15, 6-15, 22-20
4. Gina Garcia (J) def. Linda Lee 21-10, 21-6
DOUBLES
1. Karen Obermeyer-Kolb/Pang Thao (J) def Khue Yang/Mai Lou Xiong 21-14, 21-16
2. Kao Lee Xiong/Mai Ka Yang (J) def Kosaizee Yang/Mai Xiong Vang 21-9, 21-14
3. Mai Xy Xiong/Hanh To (J) def Kablia Her/Kia Her 22-20, 21-10

BY THE NUMBERS
SINGLES
Matches: Arlington 3-1, .750
Games: Arlington 6-4, .600
points: Arlington 164-159, .508
decided by 2: Arlington 1-0, 1.000
decided by 10+: Johnson 3-2, .600
DOUBLES
Matches: Johnson 3-0, 1.000
Games: Johnson 6-0, 1.000
points: Johnson 127-83, .605
decided by 2: Johnson 1-0, 1.000
decided by 10+: Johnson 2-0, 1.000

next up: tomorrow morning.