Loara Falls Short Against Wilson

Loara badminton Coach Diane Sweeney knew what her team needed to do at the Southern Section Division II badminton championships. Unfortunately, it didn’t get done and the Saxons lost to Long Beach Wilson, 13-6, Thursday at the Orange County Badminton Club.

Sweeney figured the key to upsetting the No. 1 Bruins (17-1) and winning a second title was in girls’ singles and boys’ doubles.

“We need to get a sweep in boys’ doubles,” said Sweeney before the match. “And we need our girls’ singles to each win at least one point.”

What second-seeded Loara (16-4) got was a split in boys’ doubles and the girls’ singles were swept.

In boys’ doubles Mike Chov and Kiet Lam got the only sweep for Loara, defeating Kim Mao and Kevin Chhar, 15-6, 15-3, and Magellan Ky and Richard Chong, 9-15, 15-7, 15-7.

It was at No. 2 doubles that the Saxons fell short. Wilson took a 7-4 lead when Ky and Chong defeated Paul Chen and Mel Chauv, 15-9, 10-15, 15-8. Chen and Chauv also lost to Mao and Chhar, 15-11, 15-6.

“We just didn’t have it today,” Sweeney said. “My boys’ doubles just weren’t all there.”

Wilson won all four girls’ singles matches in straight games.

At No. 1 singles, Chhayean Samor defeated Chi Nguyen, 11-6, 11-5, and Tanya Seneriches, 11-2, 11-7. Erin Ly defeated Nguyen, 11-8, 11-6, and Seneriches, 11-4, 12-9.

“My girls’ singles just didn’t bring in the points we needed,” Sweeney said.

Loara’s No. 1 singles player, Sophea Kiet, was no match for Kevin Bui, the Southern Section individual champion, losing 15-1, 15-10. Against Houng Chung, Kiet won the first game, 15-10, but Chung rallied to win, 18-17, 15-13.

“Sophea had an off day,” Sweeney said. “But so did our whole team.”

Kiet’s brother, Sothea, gave Loara a point in boys’ singles with a 15-9, 15-10 victory over Chung. He fell to Bui, 15-2, 15-7.

In girls’ doubles, the Saxons got one victory from No. 1 Nhu Lieng and Tina Doa, who defeated Dophy Chung and Davu Va, 15-7, 15-9, before falling to No. 2 Sara Vang and Viseth Dip, 11-15, 15-5, 15-6.