COMMUNITY OF PEACE ACADEMY 6, HMONG COLLEGE PREP ACADEMY 1
Today was opening day in baseball. It was also opening day for several badminton teams, primarily in the Charter / Private school world. Eagle Ridge, Math & Science and Hmong College Prep all were scheduled for their first contest. HCPA traveled to neighboring Community of Peace in St. Paul. The Tigers have faced two other teams prior to today and that experience went a long way in a 6-1 win over the visiting Warriors. COPA took all four singles, and the odd doubles. Two matches went to three sets and both of those went to the Tigers. There were four sets that went to extra points and there was a split with each team winning two. The COPA first doubles pair of Sha Sha and Eh Sher squeezed two 22-20 wins at the second and third set for their victory. Kuri and Hoemi had the longest set win in their first set at third doubles 24-22. The doubles point totals were extremely tight. Even though COPA won two of the three matches at doubles, HCPA outpointed them by 13 in the seven sets. It is not often that happens.
This was a 5 pm start. Last year when it was at HCPA I got there early—by about five minutes—and the match had already started. Luckily, I was early again today, but I arrived before HCPA.
SINGLES
1 Alexa, COP def Cody Thao 21-15, 21-18
2 Alondra, COP def Cassus Lee 20-22, 21-11, 21-16
3 Jenny, COP def Chelsea Cha 21-9, 21-14
4 Rachel, COP def Julie Vue 21-16, 21-16
DOUBLES
1 Sha Sha / Eh Sher, COP def Pazao / Songmee 18-21, 22-20, 22-20
2 Ashley / Kaw, HCP def Cheloey / Ryoko 21-12, 21-11
3 Kuri / Hoemi, COP def Faith / Judy 24-22, 21-18
BY THE NUMBERS
SINGLES
Matches: Community of Peace 4-0 1.000
Games: Community of Peace 8-1 .889
points: Community of Peace 188-137 .578
Set 1 points: Community of Peace 83-62 .572
Set 2 points: Community of Peace 84-59 .587
Set 3 points: Community of Peace 21-16 .567
decided by 10+: Community of Peace 2-0 1.000
decided by 3-: tied 1-1 .500
margin: Community of Peace 5.67
DOUBLES
Matches: Community of Peace 2-1 .667
Games: Community of Peace 4-3 .571
points: Hmong College Prep 143-130 .524
Set 1 points: Hmong College Prep 64-54 .542
Set 2 points: Hmong College Prep 59-54 .478
Set 3 points: Community of Peace 22-20 .524
decided by 10+: Hmong College Prep 1-0 1.000
decided by 3-: Community of Peace 4-1 .800
margin: Hmong College Prep 1.857
FIRST SINGLES
Alexa 2, Cody THAO 0
(21-15, 21-18)
COPA’s Alexa beat Cody Thao in two with serving the big story. In set one Thao missed her three serves. On her fourth service it was in, but Alexa drove it back on the two stroke. Thao then missed her four serves. All deep. With the inability to keep the bird in play it is hard to generate any points. In that first set Thao actually doubled the winner total over Alexa 12-6. Despite all the free gifts Alexa did not string together that many runs. She had only two runs off those first seven missed serves. At that stage Alexa had a 13-8 lead. Alexa’s third run of the first set opened on another missed serve. Thao’s receive game was fine. She had eleven even stroke winners in the first set with six on the two stroke. Thao’s favorite winner in the first set was the smash six times.
Alexa zoomed out to a 10-2 lead in set two on the strength of an eight point run on her third service. But she had a fall when making a stab at a bird that ended in the net making the score 12-4. There had to be some tenderness in the ankle because Thao scored three straight runs and got right back into the match 15-14. Seven of those Thao points came on Alexa errors. A six stroke smash to the right snapped Alexa out of the tailspin and she added a block and clear on her way to a 19-14 lead. Thao had one last three point gasp to close to 20-18, but once again the service bug hit and sailed deep sealing the win for Alexa.
If you notice the stroke counts Alexa had over half her points via two strokes or less. Another interesting stat was Thao “won” the later portion of each set to the tune of 26-20.
| Category | ALEXA | THAO |
| Side out | 15/22-.682 | 13/22-.591 |
| Longest side out string | 9 | 3 |
| 3+ Runs | 5 | 4 |
| Longest point string | 8 | 4 |
| SERVING | ||
| First serve | 1, 2 | None |
| First point | 2 | 1 |
| Service points | 20 | 12 |
| Serving % | 40/42-.952 | 23/34-.676 |
| Point generated off serve | ||
| POINTS | 42 | 34 |
| Points after 11 | 20 | 26 |
| Points after own errors | 11 | 10 |
| Winners after own errors | 5 | 8 |
| STROKES | 115 | 114 |
| Strokes per point | 2.738 | 3.353 |
| 5+ rallies (%) | 8 | 9 |
| 2- rallies (%) | 23 | 18 |
| WINNERS | 19 | 19 |
| Aces | 1 | 0 |
| Blocks | 2 | 1 |
| Clears | 3 | 5 |
| Drives | 1 | 0 |
| Drops | 1 | 2 |
| Soft drives | 2 | 3 |
| Smashes | 9 | 8 |
| Even Stroke Winners | 7 | 15 |
| 2nd Stroke Winners | 4 | 10 |
| Odd Stroke Winners | 4 | |
| ERRORS | 15 | 23 |
| Deep | 0 | 1 |
| Net | 5 | 6 |
| Wide | 8 | 5 |
| Serve | 2 | 11 |
| Even stroke errors | 8 | 8 |
| 2nd stroke errors | 7 | 7 |
| Odd stroke errors | 7 | 15 |
| WINNER LOCATION | ||
| Left | 8 | 6 |
| Right | 11 | 13 |
| Largest Lead | 7, 8 | 1, 0 |
| W:E Ratio | 1.267 | 0.826 |
| Margin | 4.00 | |
| Set Point % | 2/4-.500 | |
| Time | 16:24 |