EDINA 5, JOHNSON 2
#1 Edina handed #2 Johnson their third straight dual match loss 5-2 at home on Wednesday. The singles proved to be tight with both squads splitting. Johnson’s two victories were at the top of the singles order while the Hornets grabbed the rest including doubles. Only one match went to three sets and that came in first singles…more about that below.
On the doubles end Edina took all three spots in two. But the last two had identical scores with the first set 23-21 and the second 21-16. In total there were three two point sets today with Edina leading 2-1. 16 seems to have been the favorite number of the day with five sets reaching that sweet level.
SINGLES
1 Su Meh, J def Hazel Dang 21-19, 16-21, 21-16
2 Gaonou Vang, J def Aarushi Bhatnagar 21-12, 21-9
3 Evelyn, E def Sandy Moua 21-11, 21-13
4 Ariana Yang, E def Amanda Her 21-14, 21-16
DOUBLES
1 Sanna Coma / Ivy Peterson, E def Anastasia Vang / Sammie Yang 21-11, 21-6
2 Bergen Pickett / Juman, E def Shalisha Vang/ Krystal Moua 23-21, 21-16
3 Ella Burke / Daisy, E def Cammie Yang / Selina 23-21, 21-16
BY THE NUMBERS
SINGLES
Matches: tied 2-2 .500
Games: Edina 5-4 .556
points: Edina 161-154 .511
Set 1 points: Edina 73-67 .521
Set 2 points: Edina 72-66 .522
Set 3 points: Johnson 16-21 .568
decided by 10+: tied 1-1 .500
decided by 3-: Johnson 1-0 1.000
margin: Edina 0.778
DOUBLES
Matches: Edina 3-0 1.000
Games: Edina 6-0 1.000
points: Edina 130-91 .588
Set 1 points: Edina 67-53 .558
Set 2 points: Edina 63-38 .624
decided by 10+: Edina 2-0 1.000
decided by 3-: Edina 2-0 1.000
margin: Edina 6.500
FIRST SINGLES
Su MEH 2, Hazel DANG 1
(reported & recorded 21-19, 16-21, 21-16)
For the third time this year #1 Su Meh and #2 Hazel Dang met on the courts at Edina and for the third time the Governor ruled. The first two matches were during the Edina Invitational where Meh won in two and three sets with the final set in that tournament matching today’s 21-16 third set. I was unable to chart the Invitational, but in today’s contest a couple of items sprang forth: #1 Service issues. Dang missed eleven on the day including the opening serves of both the first and third sets, putting her in an immediate hole; #2 two strokes or less ruled. 65 points of the 114 (57%) came on serve and volley. My theory is that if the opponent is coming up with a winner off serve, then the serve is not that wicked, or the server is not aware what shot is coming next. This was true in both players cases with Dang beating Meh 14-12 on second stroke winners. Dang also won the winner category 26-22. Dang’s favorite second stroke winner was the soft drive. Meh relied on the smash and/or drive on five times. All her drives were on the two stroke. #3 once a player got the lead, she kept the lead. The match was characterized by a consistent score, with no exchanges in lead or fluctuations throughout its duration. #4 Errors ruled. Both players made 30 or more errors. Most found the net with double digit totals for both.
Meh put her stamp on the first set with the first run on her second service and then created space with six straight points on service four to lead 11-4. Dang scrambled back in the contest closing to 18-16 after a five-point run, but the service issue halted any momentum built up. The first set ended with Dang’s fourth service error.
Set two Dang kept Meh from scoring too many winners winning that battle 9-5. Two early runs on Dang’s second and third service established a healthy 8-2 advantage. Included in that spree were two aces. Meh closed the margin to 14-12 but Dang stopped that flow with a two-stroke drive and on her next service cemented the win with her third run of the set. The finish in set two came on a four stroke back hand drive by Dang.
A return to first set service issues started set three. Meh got runs on her third and fourth service to lead 9-4 and led at the turn (change of courts) 11-6. Dang had her only run of the set after a rare ten stroke smash opened up three more points including the only block point of the match to narrow the gap to 16-14. Meh closed the match with the last three points started by a six-stroke smash.
I am sure we have not seen the last meeting between these two with a potential two more meetings at either state team and or individuals.
| Category | MEH | DANG |
| Side out | 18/33-.545 | 17/33-.515 |
| Longest side out string | 3 | 5 |
| 3+ Runs | 8 | 6 |
| Longest point string | 6 | 5 |
| SERVING | ||
| First serve | 1, 3 | 2 |
| First point | 1, 3 | 2 |
| Service points | 25 | 23 |
| Serving % | 52/57-.912 | 46/57-.807 |
| Point generated off serve | .431 | .411 |
| POINTS | 58 | 56 |
| Points after 11 | 28 | 34 |
| Points after own errors | 17 | 22 |
| Winners after own errors | 10 | 9 |
| STROKES | 171 | 190 |
| Strokes per point | 2.948 | 3.393 |
| 5+ rallies (%) | 12 | 15 |
| 2- rallies (%) | 34 | 31 |
| WINNERS | 22 | 26 |
| Aces | 0 | 3 |
| Blocks | 0 | 1 |
| Clears | 3 | 4 |
| Drives | 5 | 3 |
| Drops | 2 | 4 |
| Soft drives | 3 | 7 |
| Smashes | 9 | 4 |
| Even Stroke Winners | 16 | 17 |
| 2nd Stroke Winners | 12 | 14 |
| Odd Stroke Winners | 6 | 9 |
| ERRORS | 30 | 36 |
| Deep | 7 | 4 |
| Net | 10 | 12 |
| Wide | 8 | 9 |
| Serve | 5 | 11 |
| Even stroke errors | 14 | 19 |
| 2nd stroke errors | 8 | 11 |
| Odd stroke errors | 16 | 17 |
| WINNER LOCATION | ||
| Left | 12 | 9 |
| Right | 10 | 17 |
| Largest Lead | 7, 0, 6 | 0, 6, 0 |
| W:E Ratio | 0.733 | 0.722 |
| Margin | 0.667 | |
| Set Point % | 2/4-.500 | 1/3-.333 |
| Time | 35:22 |