EDINA 7, MINNETONKA 0
Minnetonka made their badminton debut Wednesday. The Skippers are now the thirtieth school to take part in the sport joining Park Center as the two new additions. Their initiation into the world of badminton competition was conducted by the Edina Hornets, who are the two-time defending state champions. They left a buzz holding the Skippers to single digits in twelve of the fourteen sets. Both Isabel Chen and first singles and Vivienne Rowen at third singles totaled 20 total points in their respective matches as the high scorers. Doubles will have a steeper learning curve as the total points in six sets was 17. The Skippers are now the third team from the Lake Conference to compete in badminton, alongside Edina and Eden Prairie.
Also making her varsity debut today was seventh grader Ariana Yang at third singles for the Hornets. She was filling in for Clare Watz who was out with an injury.
The Hornets, with most everyone back, will be looking for a three peat. This was their second straight win this year after beating the North St. Paul Polars yesterday 7-0.
Next up for Minnetonka is a trip to another Lake Conference rival: Eden Prairie. The Eagles won in their first game this season at Kennedy today.
SINGLES
1. Hazel Dang, E def Isabel Chen 21-11, 21-9
2. Aarushi Bhatnagar, E def Francesca Iannone 21-1, 21-1
3. Ariana Yang, E def Vivienne Rowen 21-12, 21-8
4. Lynn Clara Tun, E def Maggie King 21-3, 21-7
DOUBLES
1. Ivy Peterson/ Sanna Coma, E def Maggie Karels / Ruby Kirk 21-2, 21-3
2. Ella Burke / Daisy Hennington-Hoff, E def Olivia Pederson / Ella Farnum 21-4, 21-3
3. Juman Alkhatib / Caitlin Ashton, E def Isabelle Wong / Audrey Williams 21-3, 21-2
BY THE NUMBERS
SINGLES
Matches: Edina 4-0 1.000
Games: Edina 8-0 1.000
points: Edina 168-52 .764
Set 1 points: Edina 84-27 .757
Set 2 points: Edina 84-25 .771
decided by 10+: Edina 7-0 1.000
decided by 3-: none
margin: Edina 14.50
DOUBLES
Matches: Edina 3-0 1.000
Games: Edina 6-0 1.000
points: Edina 126-17 .881
Set 1 points: Edina 63-9 .875
Set 2 points: Edina 63-8 .887
decided by 10+: Edina 6-0 1.000
decided by 3-: none
margin: Edina 18.17
FIRST SINGLES
Hazel DANG 2, Isabel CHEN 0
(21-11, 21-9)
Edina’s Hazel Dang, last year’s second singles for the Hornets has now taken on the first singles mantle and celebrated with a sweep of Isabel Chen. Dang had close to a three to one advantage in winners. She also held Chen to one run in the match, and that in the second set. Dang opened with the first six points, the first of nine runs on the day. In her seven services in the second set, she notched six runs. Chen has played on the off-season circuit and it showed in some of the longer points. Her partner in some of these tournaments is Edina’s Ariana Yang.
Chen won both of the day’s mega stroke points (ten strokes or longer). Chen and Dang also had a sequence in the first set where both embroiled in a side out battle. Eight straight points see-sawed back and forth with neither able to generate a point off serve. At this stage Chen was trailed by four. It was Chen that broke the spell after an eight-stroke smash got her the serve back. Dang had a six-stroke hitting error that found the net. It was still four points (13-9) when Dang got her second run of the first set to stretch the lead to 16-9. She capped off the first set with the final four points with a block to finish.
Dang’s favorite winner today was the drop, good for ten points. Chen had 60% of her points (or six points) on drives.
| Category | DANG | CHEN |
| Side out | 12/16-.750 | 7/17-.412 |
| Longest side out string | 5 | 4 |
| 3+ Runs | 9 | 1 |
| Longest point string | 6 | 3 |
| SERVING | ||
| First serve | 2 | 1 |
| First point | 1 | 2 |
| Service points | 26 | 5 |
| Serving % | 41/41-1.000 | 21/21-1.000 |
| Point generated off serve | .634 | .238 |
| POINTS | 42 | 20 |
| Points after 11 | 20 | 9 |
| Points after own errors | 8 | 4 |
| Winners after own errors | 6 | 1 |
| STROKES | 164 | 97 |
| Strokes per point | 3.905 | 4.619 |
| 5+ rallies (%) | 10 | 8 |
| 2- rallies (%) | 10 | 7 |
| WINNERS | 29 | 10 |
| Aces | 1 | 0 |
| Blocks | 2 | 0 |
| Clears | 4 | 0 |
| Drives | 2 | 6 |
| Drops | 10 | 0 |
| Soft drives | 5 | 1 |
| Smashes | 5 | 3 |
| Even Stroke Winners | 12 | 9 |
| 2nd Stroke Winners | 4 | 3 |
| Odd Stroke Winners | 17 | 1 |
| ERRORS | 10 | 13 |
| Deep | 0 | 1 |
| Net | 8 | 6 |
| Wide | 2 | 6 |
| Serve | 0 | 0 |
| Even stroke errors | 7 | 11 |
| 2nd stroke errors | 4 | 3 |
| Odd stroke errors | 3 | 2 |
| WINNER LOCATION | ||
| Left | 10 | 6 |
| Right | 19 | 4 |
| Largest Lead | 10, 12 | 0, 1 |
| W:E Ratio | 2.90 | 0.769 |
| Margin | 10.50 | |
| Set Point % | 2/2-1.000 | |
| Time | 12:51 |