2008 Woodie Awards
Badminton to face stronger competition
Competing: Women play as individuals, gaining experience
By: Fumie Iida
Issue date: 3/25/04 Section: Sports
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Competing against players from other conferences, the women's badminton team gained playing experience and learned lessons, which will help the team over its next five interconference matches over the next three weeks.
In the Pasadena Tournament last Saturday at Pasadena City, each player played as an individual. The players faced off against players from East L.A., Grossmont, Orange Coast, Pasadena City and San Diego Mesa.
Tomoe Okaguchi took fourth in the Flight A league and Sabine Kuenstler won in the
Flight B league.
Grossmont won in the singles and doubles in the Flight A league and Pasadena City won in the doubles in the Flight B league.
The Warriors will travel tomorrow to face off against Grossmont at 3 p.m.
Coach John Britton said that the last four interconference games were relatively easy for the Warriors.
The upcoming interconference matches should not be because they will play powerful teams such as Irvine Valley and Grossmont, ranked No.1 and No. 2 in the state respectively.
"We have finished the first round of conference play and we are pleased to see that we are at the top of the ladder; winning matches will be very hard," Britton said.
Although Arielle Lombardi and Sok Ian Leong missed the Pasadena Tournament, Britton said that each player had a good learning experience.
"They played hard matches against many players they had not played before; some had similar standards and others were better. It was a great learning situation," Britton said.
The team's No.1 player Okaguchi played singles games in the flight A league, in which the top three players from each college played. She finished fourth overall.
"I experienced the hardest rally in this tournament," Okaguchi said.
Okaguchi won two singles games and lost in the third game against Yoko Suzuki, the No. 2 player of Grossmont, 11-4, 11-7.
"It was a good experience for me to face against very strong player like Suzuki," she said. "Although I lost the game, I found out what I need to work on such as how to receive in the back area."
In the Pasadena Tournament last Saturday at Pasadena City, each player played as an individual. The players faced off against players from East L.A., Grossmont, Orange Coast, Pasadena City and San Diego Mesa.
Tomoe Okaguchi took fourth in the Flight A league and Sabine Kuenstler won in the
Flight B league.
Grossmont won in the singles and doubles in the Flight A league and Pasadena City won in the doubles in the Flight B league.
The Warriors will travel tomorrow to face off against Grossmont at 3 p.m.
Coach John Britton said that the last four interconference games were relatively easy for the Warriors.
The upcoming interconference matches should not be because they will play powerful teams such as Irvine Valley and Grossmont, ranked No.1 and No. 2 in the state respectively.
"We have finished the first round of conference play and we are pleased to see that we are at the top of the ladder; winning matches will be very hard," Britton said.
Although Arielle Lombardi and Sok Ian Leong missed the Pasadena Tournament, Britton said that each player had a good learning experience.
"They played hard matches against many players they had not played before; some had similar standards and others were better. It was a great learning situation," Britton said.
The team's No.1 player Okaguchi played singles games in the flight A league, in which the top three players from each college played. She finished fourth overall.
"I experienced the hardest rally in this tournament," Okaguchi said.
Okaguchi won two singles games and lost in the third game against Yoko Suzuki, the No. 2 player of Grossmont, 11-4, 11-7.
"It was a good experience for me to face against very strong player like Suzuki," she said. "Although I lost the game, I found out what I need to work on such as how to receive in the back area."