CNMI players keep strong showing

CNMI Tennis Team member Tania Tan, seen here stretching for a return during a tournament at the AMP tennis court last year, was undefeated after Day 2 of the 2014 North Pacific Regional Championships in Guam last Tuesday. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

“Good news. Thirteen of the CNMI’s 14 players have yet to lose a match to a player from another country. Today the CNMI Team went 17-2,”coach Jeff Race said in an email to Saipan Tribune.

Robbie Schorr and Ken Song are among those unbeaten CNMI bets, who are battling Guam, Palau, and Federated States of Micronesia players, with the former improving to a 4-0 record and Song earning a 3-0 mark. Schorr notched two more wins last Tuesday at the Rick Ninete Tennis Center in Guam, taking only two sets to top his foes. The Grace Christian Academy student posted his first shutout win in Pool A of the boys U12 singles with a 6-0, 6-0 spanking of Deavyn Etscheit before nearly blanking another opponent in Andrew Leng, 6-0, 6-1. Schorr was scheduled to close out his Pool A assignment yesterday against Freddy Jerson and regardless of the results of his final game, the former is assured of the top spot in the eight-player playoffs (Top 4 finisher in each group).

In Pool B, Ken Song also bagged two wins last Tuesday and will join Schorr to the next round. Song dominated Dakota Gibson, 6-1, 6-0, and Elijah Ziegler, 6-2, 6-0, to lead fellow CNMI player Aditya Tai (2-1) and three others in his group. Rai, who only lost to Song last Monday, got his second win in Day 2 against Gibson, 6-0, 6-0.

In the girls U12 singles, Malikawa Miyawaki and Jireh Warren are the co-leaders in Pool A after Day 2 games, holding a 2-0 record. Miyawaki notched her second victory against Anne Skilling, 6-0, 6-1, while Warren defeated Ridianne Wolphagen, 6-3, 6-1. Warren and Miyawaki were slated to collide yesterday for the solo lead in their group.

In Pool B, Conatsu Kaga was unscathed, too, after Day 2, moving up to a 3-0 slate. She nailed twin wins last Tuesday, thwarting Isabel Garcia in the morning match, 7-5, 6-2, before returning to the court in the afternoon to crush Jocelyn Tenai, 6-0, 6-0. Kaga’s teammate Asia Raulerson (2-1) also beat Isabel Garcia, 6-1, 6-2, to give the CNMI the Top 2 spots after Day 2 action.

In the boys U14 singles, Pool B, Luther Lizama is still lording it over as he remained undefeated in three games. He showed no mercy to Abraham Sterkis, 6-0, 6-0, for his third consecutive straight set victory. In Pool A, Haruya Eda had a contrasting fortune, as he dropped to 0-4 slate after bowing to William Joab, 2-6, 0-6, and Mason Caldwell, 0-6, 0-6.

In the girls U14, Julia Ishikawa and Mimi Sakano are tied for the lead after Day 2 with their similar 2-0 records. A 6-0, 6-3 victory over Kanasta Abrams in Pool A match gave Ishikawa her second triumph, while Sakano had the same feat after sweeping Anika Sachdev, 6-2, 6-0. In Pool B. Tania Tan and Ami Tsukagoshi are also perfect (2-0) with the former whipping Victoria Smith, 6-0, 6-0. Tsukagoshi had a tougher time in Day 2, surviving Sunshein Palik, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

In the boys U16 singles, the CNMI’s lone entry, Colin Ramsey, forced a deadlock for the top spot with former teammate Christopher Cajigan. Ramsey hammered Geryld Etscheit, 6-0, 6-0, to match Cajigan’s 3-0 record. Ramsey and Cajigan battle for the No. 1 spot in their group today.