Phlower VANG, Highland Park 2, Kimberly TOBAR, Harding 1 (21-19, 18-21, 21-16)
Phlower Vang defeated Kimberly Tobar for the state title on Thursday in three sets where the lead was never safe. This was the fifth time these two St. Paul rivals met, and the fourth time Vang ended up victorious. In fact, Tobar is the only player to tag Vang with a loss this year. The Scot finished the 2024 campaign with a 31-1 mark including five on Thursday. She started with her march to the title with a single digit sweep of Mollie Anderson of Roosevelt. Then it was a tour of St. Paul with two set wins over Humboldt, Washington. She then dispatched Hazel Dang of Edina in the semis to reach Tobar. Tobar’s path included wins over Humboldt, Eden Prairie, Central and Edina’s Tenzin Tsephel in the semis. All were done in two, and three of those eight sets were single digits. Today’s fifth contest between these two competitors was the closest set margin yet: 1.33 points. The real time lapse did not beat the 52 minutes in the St. Paul city title match, but it came close at 44 minutes.
I used video tape to break this initial report down. I will bring out interesting impactful information after I get the doubles championship match transcribed and dissected. Here are some key takeaways comparing it with the week before at Harding. The side outs dropped for both, the drop for Tobar was cut in half from .516 to .240. Therefore, more points came via the serve. Only Vang missed a serve. Tobar closed strong and outpointed Vang after eleven points by five, last week Vang was up three in that category. The stroke count was down for both but still relatively high with 4.5 and 5.2. The noticeable change was in the two stroke rallies. Tobar won 14 the week before and took only five int the title match. Shot or racquet discipline was evident.
The winners and error count were adjusted with the video today, so the comparisons won’t be accurate with the changes. Some “winners” Thursday were also more than likely set ups. Clears definitely were part of that equation.
The stylistic differences between the two were evident and will be examined in greater detail later. However, in a broad-brush stroke, Vang kept the bird down and away from the upper right window. There was more action in the front portion of the court with more drops 15 Thursday to eight the week before. The first two sets also featured plot twists at the end. Each player saw a lead with the finish line in sight vanish.
Set one saw five lead changes. Tobar started the day with the first of three runs in that set. Vang inched forward at 6-5 on a five-stroke clear. Tobar regained the lead with run number two on a three-stroke drop (8-6). Vang’s four-point run put her up 12-9, two services later she added her final three-point run of the set and enjoyed her largest lead in that set at 16-12. Tobar’s final run tied it at 16. Then both players started tightening up their side out game Tobar closed the door two straight times on Vang and squeezed off a point on her last serve on a block for a 19-18 advantage. A smash by Vang on stroke two gave her the bird back and she never let go. Two hitting errors in the net on two and then an eight stroker that sailed wide finished the set after 11:45 of action.
Vang used that momentum to leap out to a 5-0 lead. Two two stroke hitting errors were part and parcel. Another Vang run moved the needle to 10-4. Then Tobar went to work with a run of five capped by the last two points coming on two stroke errors. Perhaps this was the effects of five increasingly difficult opponents and fatigue becoming a factor. Still Vang maintained the margins. Her final run pushed her lead up to 17-12. Then the wheels fell off. On Tobar’s last two services she stitched together runs closing to 17-15 and, after getting Vang to side out, finishing with a roar to even the match at one set apiece with the largest run of the day of six. A Tobar Smash sealed the deal.
By now all eyes were on this match as the rest of the third place and championship games were over. Vang enjoyed another quick start, scoring the first two points followed by a run on service two out to 6-1. Vang was able to squeeze out a point on serve without getting the run and that made her margin 12-4 after the turn at eleven. Tobar was not through. She jumped back into the mix with a run of five to narrow the margin to 12-9 in favor of Vang. Another side out plus another run by Tobar cut the gap to 13-12. That eight-point margin disappeared in an eight one déjà vu of set two. Vang stopped the bleeding and quickly regained her composure with her own seven one burst on her next two services. That put her on the cusp of history at 20-13 after a three-stroke soft drive to the right. Once again Tobar fought back. A sixteen-stroke smash infused her with hope. She added two winners on a five-stroke smash followed by a five-stroke drop. However, Vang got the needed final point on her fourth try at match point. After the serve she set the bird on a clear to Tobar’s left. She clipped the bird and it fell off to the side.
The Highland celebration of three straight titles could begin with the former champs in attendance.
Next up will be the Doubles Championship recap. Then an analysis of where birds are located for winners and opponents. Then a final recap of the season with team records, and new leaderboards for career wins. This process will take place over the next week.
| Category | VANG | TOBAR |
| Side out | 11/25-.440 | 6/25-.240 |
| Longest side out string | 5 | 2 |
| 3+ Runs | 10 | 10 |
| Longest point string | 5 | 6 |
| SERVING | ||
| First serve | 1, 2 | 3 |
| First point | 2, 3 | 1 |
| Service points | 36 | 32 |
| Serving % | 59/60-.983 | 56/56-1.000 |
| Point generated off serve | .600 | .571 |
| POINTS | 60 | 56 |
| Points after 11 | 27 | 32 |
| STROKES | 270 | 293 |
| Strokes per point | 4.500 | 5.232 |
| 5+ rallies (%) | 22 | 31 |
| 2- rallies (%) | 15 | 5 |
| WINNERS | 49 | 50 |
| Aces | 0 | 0 |
| Blocks | 0 | 3 |
| Clears | 19 | 24 |
| Drives | 1 | 1 |
| Drops | 8 | 7 |
| Soft drives | 9 | 2 |
| Smashes | 12 | 13 |
| Even Stroke Winners | 12 | 7 |
| 2nd Stroke Winners | 5 | 0 |
| ERRORS | 56 | 60 |
| Deep | 2 | 4 |
| Net | 21 | 19 |
| Wide | 14 | 13 |
| Serve | 1 | 0 |
| No Contact | 11 | 8 |
| No Go | 7 | 16 |
| Even stroke errors | 21 | 19 |
| 2nd stroke errors | 4 | 11 |
| Largest Lead | 4, 6, 8 | 3, 3, 0 |
| Margin | 1.333 | |
| Set Point % | 2/5-.400 | 1/1-1.000 |
| Time | 44:10 | Real time |