California Community Colleges
Commission on Athletics
Women's Badminton Championship

Singles/Doubles Championship

May 9, 2003
Pasadena City College

(PASADENA)-El Camino College's Minako Akiyama upset No. 1 seed Rulien Yeh, 11-7, 11-0, in the individual singles quarterfinals of the COA California Community Colleges Women's Badminton State Championships Friday at Pasadena City College.

Yeh, who helped Irvine Valley win its second straight team state title Thursday, was the only one of the top four seeds to not make it to today's semifinals. Gina Gomez of Skyline (No. 2 seed), Rulan Yeh (Rulien's twin sister, No. 3 seed) of Irvine Valley, and Erica Lin (No. 4 of De Anza) joined Akiyama as the survivors to go for a state title.

Akiyama faces Lin, while Yeh takes on Gomez. The winners then play in the finals. It's possible that Rulan Yeh will get a chance to avenge her sister's loss against Akiyama in the finals.

In individual doubles competition, the four seeds all followed suit and advanced to today's semifinals. The Yehs of Irvine Valley, the No. 1 seed, won previous round matches by 11-1, 11-0, and 11-1, 11-1 scores. The second-seeded team of Erica Lin and Liz Nguyen of De Anza, the No. 3 seeded Jennifer Chiu and Suzanne Wong of Irvine Valley, and the No. 4 Ratsamy Sophabmixay and Sameoun Rom of Fresno City round out the survivors. Yeh-Yeh faces Sophabmixay-Rom, while Chiu-Wong takes on Lin-Nguyen in the semis.

CONSOLATION BRACKET:

SINGLES-Sally Chan (Pasadena) d. Somphat Phanomphone (Fresno), 11-6, 2-11, 11-7; Molly Chang (Pasadena) d. Hang Nguyen (Santa Ana), 11-1, 11-0; Carmen Smith (Pasadena) d. Arsala Barber (El Camino), 11-4, 11-7; Chan d. Phyreak Tan (El Camino), 11-2, 11-2. Today's schedule: Chang v. Smith; Chan v. Tan, 12 noon

DOUBLES- Vy Doan-Khanh Nguyen (Santa Ana) d. Kiley Jones-Julie Jensen (Fresno), 11-4, 11-2; Elaine Liang-Cindy Ton (Pasadena) d. E. Lopez-F. Carrillo (LA City), 11-0, 11-0; Molly Chang-Annie Tang (Pasadena) d. Phanomphone-Sheng Lee (Fresno), 13-10, 13-10; Doan-Nguyen d. Regina Tran-Kham Phabmixay (Orange Coast), 8-11, 11-3, 11-2; S. Kudelova-F.Leiva (LA City) advanced to semifinals through bye. Today's schedule: Liang-Ton v. Chang-Tang; Doan-Nguyen v. Kudelova-Leiva.

Reported by Robert Lewis, PCC SID