SAINT PAUL CITY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Being a number two came up number one twice today. Both second singles and second doubles from Johnson beat their own number ones in the title matches in the St. Paul City championships at Central on Thursday afternoon. It was a forgone conclusion that the doubles winner would be from Johnson. The only question was it going to be #1, #2, #3 or #4. The final four singles came down to the top two players from city champ Johnson and runner up Washington. According to the city seeds the doubles champion of Kachoua Vang and Chia Thao were the 8th seed, Pa Di Moua was unseeded.
By virtue of their wins in this championship they will be the #1 seeds in the upcoming state tournament.
This is the second straight day a second singles won a title. Yesterday in Minneapolis second singles Becca Murphy from Southwest beat second singles Penelope Onsrud from Washburn. It has been that kind of year where anything can happen. There have been 4-3 matches all year and last year (2018) there were 337 three set matches—that included state. At this point in 2019 we have 290 three set matches with a whole state tournament experience ahead. Expect more three sets as the drama builds. Expect the unexpected next week for the state tournament at Burnsville.
SINGLES
SEMIFINALS
Pa Di Moua, J def Jansaree Na, W 24-22, 21-16
Nuhchi Chah, J def BeBe Say, W 21-16, 21-18
3RD
BeBe Say, W def Jansaree Na, W 21-8, 21-10
1st
Pa Di Moua, J def Nuhchi Chah, J 21-17, 21-17
DOUBLES
SEMIFINALS
Kachoua Vang/Chia Thao, J def Pacee Xiong/Joy Moua, J 21-16, 21-10
Dah Ku/Song Yang, J def Sandy Yang/Mor Yang, J 24-26, 21-17, 21-16
3RD
Sandy Yang/Mor Yang, J def Pacee Xiong/Joy Moua, J 21-16, 22-20
1ST
Kachoua Vang/Chia Thao, J def Dah Ku/Song Yang, J 21-12, 21-15
pa di MOUA 2, nuhchi CHAH 0
(21-17, 21-17)
In an all Johnson final it was second singles Pa Di Moua topping first singles Nuhchi Chah in the title match by identical 21-17 scores. The two who see each other every day did not have any tricks they have not seen before. What worked for Moua is the strong side out game. She shut the door on Chah’s serve 68% of the time. Moua also generated more runs and had eight more winners in the match, the spread across both matches. Moua had an assortment of winners and did not overly rely on any particular shot. Both players painted the deep corners and looked to catch the other off guard near the net. This is where the error portion of the game, if you examine it closely, points to the strategy. The majority of Chah’s errors were deep, while Moua missed more frequently at the net.
In set one Moua got the first run (of four) to take a 7-3 lead. That advantage dropped to two (10-8) after a missed serve. Moua added another run out to 15-10. Chah got her only run of the set (18-16) to test the waters again, but a four stroke drop ended the threat.
In set two Moua again broke free with the first three point run (9-6). Chah had a response waiting with the longest sequence of the match with five straight points and an 11-9 lead. Chah again used a three point run for her last advantage (15-12). Moua rallied for four straight to grab the lead at 17-16, her first lead since 9-6. Chah tied it on a smash at 17. But a four stroke wide hit returned the bird and momentum back to Moua and she did not give the bird back. The match ended on a seven stroke soft drive.
| Category | MOUA | CHAH |
| Side out | 15/22-.682 | 11/23-.478 |
| Longest side out string | 5 | 3 |
| 3+ Runs | 5 | 3 |
| Longest point string | 4(3x) | 5 |
| SERVING | ||
| Service points | 20 | 12 |
| Serving % | .954 | .971 |
| Point generated off serve | .476 | .353 |
| POINTS | ||
| Overall points | 42 | 34 |
| Points after 11 | 22 | 15 |
| Points after own errors | 12 | 9 |
| Pt error% | 12/18-.667 | 9/16-.563 |
| STROKES | ||
| Strokes | 163 | 121 |
| Strokes per point | 3.881 | 3.559 |
| 5+ rallies | 10 | 8 |
| 2- rallies | 17 | 14 |
| WINNERS | 24 | 16 |
| Aces | 2 | 0 |
| Blocks | 1 | 0 |
| Clears | 4 | 3 |
| Drives | 4 | 0 |
| Drops | 4 | 5 |
| Soft drives | 6 | 6 |
| Smashes | 4 | 2 |
| ERRORS | 18 | 18 |
| Deep | 3 | 10 |
| Net | 8 | 2 |
| Wide | 5 | 5 |
| Serve | 2 | 1 |
| W:E Ratio | 1.333 | 0.889 |
| Margin | 4.00 | |
| Set Point % | 2/3-.667 | |
| Time | 14:51.06 |