Wednesday, May 8, 2013

2013- USTA-NTRP CENTRAL REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS


On May 3 – May 5, 2013 as a warm up for the USTA season, eight of the Jammers:  Teresa Emerson/Kelly Kramer, Julie Skinner/Nancy Winters, Leigh Lewis/Heidi Smith, and Mary Ann Daum/Karen Griffin  and two former Jammers Huong Doan/Hee Sun Kim went to St. Louis to play in the USTA-NTRP Central Regional Championships.  It was snowing in Springfield, yes snow, in May.  That didn’t seem to stop the Jammers from going to compete.  There was no snow in St. Louis, just rain all weekend, so the tournament was forced to move indoor at several different locations in St. Louis and Illinois.
 

Most Jammers arrived in St. Louis early for an afternoon match, but the rest wasn’t playing until Friday evening so we didn’t get there until early evening.  It was a long Friday for the Jammers; the only victorious Jammers for the evening were the team of Teresa Emerson and Kelly Kramer.  They beat their opponents Ann Eveker and Kathie Muehlheausler in two straight sets 6-4, 7-5.  The rest of the Jammers fought hard but couldn’t come up with a win.  Julie Skinner and Nancy Winters lost to Maureen Hurley and Cara McJunkin with the scores of 6-4, 7-6.  Mary Ann Daum and Karen Griffin took their match to a match tie-break, but couldn’t pull it through.  They lost to their opponents Catherine Dickson and Holly Hamilton with the scores of 6-3, 0-6, 1-0.  Our other Jammers team of Leigh Lewis and Heidi Smith also had a tight match against Stephanie Dintelmann and Cheryl Wayt, they also lost in two straight sets 6-4, 7-5.

 Hee Sun Kim and I had fun with our match but our opponents were just so dominating on the court, Jodi Ferguson and Amy Snow defeated us in two straight sets 6-0, 6-2.

 
The rain finally quit on Saturday, another day in hope for victories for the Jammers.  Some of the Jammers had an early match on Saturday morning, which seem to favor the Jammers.  First round West-Consolation bracket, all the Jammers were victorious.  Julie Skinner and Nancy Winters had an easy time on the court against their opponents Linda Landry and Teresa Schlafly with the scores of 6-2, 6-1.   Leigh Lewis and Heidi Smith were also dominated on the court over their opponents Rebecca Hartfield and Carol Kennedy 6-1, 6-4.  Mary Ann Daum and Karen Griffin were able to advance to the next round, a walk over against their opponents Lauri Heitz and Becky Skeens. 

Later that afternoon, Teresa Emerson and Kelly Kramer were also victorious in their match against Velma Carey and Joan Jennings 7-5, 1-6, 1-0, which advance them to the Quarterfinals of the main draw Saturday evening.

While all the 3.5 Jammers have all the luck.  Hee Sun and I just couldn’t find our chance at the 4.0 level.  We lost in our second match against Diane Ruzicka and Linda Schaper 6-1, 6-2. 

 
Saturday evening, it was great to see ALL 8 Jammers playing in the Quarterfinals in the main draw and in the West-Consolation bracket, pretty impressive I might add.  It was a tough evening for some of the Jammers, Teresa Emerson and Kelly Kramer had a very tough lost against their opponents.  It could have gone either way; they played a great match but just couldn’t pull it off at the end.  They lost to Kim Bradfield and Dawn Melton with the scores of 6-4, 3-6, 1-0.

In the West-Consolation bracket, the Jammers won 2 of the 3 Quarterfinals.  Mary Ann Daum and Karen Griffin won their match against Jane Herder and Cindy Rapponotti in two straight sets 6-2, 6-4.  The same for Leigh Lewis and Heidi Smith, they defeated Martha Juhl and Anne Ross also in two sets with the scores of 7-5, 6-3.  Julie Skinner and Nancy Winters weren’t so lucky; they fought hard in their match and stretched it out to a match tie-break.  They lost to Ruth Ehresman and Heather Milton 7-6, 3-6, 1-0.  It was a tough loss for them.

A win for Mary Ann and Karen, Leigh and Heidi mean they will have to face each other in the Semifinals in the morning.  At least we know, one of the Jammer’s team will be in the Finals for sure.
 
Early Sunday morning, it was a match between our own Jammer girls.  All four gals are tough competitors, of course they are.  You can’t be a Jammer, if you are not competitive.  I hate to see that the Jammers had to play against each other, but we all knew, we have to run into each other at some point.  The Semifinals win that day belongs to Leigh Lewis and Heidi Smith with a win over Mary Ann Daum and Karen Griffin 6-0, 4-6, 1-0. 

 Hee Sun and I played Sunday morning as well.  Once again, we ran out of luck, we got defeated by Regan Hannigan and Patricia Hudson 6-2, 6-4.  It was an experience weekend for the both us.  We still have a lot to learn in playing at this level.  We will continue to work on our game and keep on fighting.
 
As far as the 3.5 Jammers, the rest of the Sunday afternoon went great for all of them.  Just when Julie Skinner and Nancy Winters thought it was over for them, they got moved on to play in the Southwest-Consolation bracket.  In the Semifinals they defeated their opponents pretty easily.  Diane Lewis and Nancy Rath didn’t have a chance; they lost to our Jammers 6-4, 6-0.  This led Julie and Nancy into the Finals for this particular bracket.
In the meantime, Teresa Emerson and Kelly Kramer were in the Northeast-Consolation bracket.  For their Semifinals match, they were also victorious over their opponents, Nancy Hinkson and Barbara Murray with the scores of 6-2, 6-3.  They are also in the Finals in their bracket.
By the end of Sunday evening, the Jammers were victorious in 3 of the brackets.  In the West Consolation bracket, Leigh Lewis and Heidi Smith was the winner when they defeated their opponents Ruth Ehresman and Heather Milton 6-1, 6-4.
In the Southwest-Consolation bracket Julie Skinner and Nancy Winters were the winner in the Finals when they out played their opponents Martha Juhl and Anne Ross with the scores 6-2, 6-4.
Our dynamic duo of Teresa Emerson and Kelly Kramer took the Northeast-Consolation bracket when they won their match in the Finals against Michelle Millonais and Lydia Sanders  with the final scores of 6-4, 6-2.
It was a perfect ending to the weekend.  All the girls did great.  They all went to St. Louis to compete, and they all competed indeed.  The tournament was a perfect warm up for the Jammers USTA season.  They will all be pump up for the 2013 season to begin.  I’m very proud of all of them.  Watch out, the Jammers are back!!!
 
 
RECAP OF THE USTA-NTRP CENTRAL REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
 
NTRP Women’s 3.5 Doubles:
Quarterfinals:  Kim Bradfield/Dawn Melton d. Teresa Emerson/Kelly Kramer
                                                                          7-6, 3-6, 1-0
Round of 16:  Teresa Emerson/Kelly Kramer d. Velma Carey/Joan Jennings 7-5, 1-6, 1-0
Round of 32:  Teresa Emerson/Kelly Kramer d. Ann Eveker/KathieMuehlheausler 6-4, 7-5
                          Maureen Hurley/Cara McJunkin d. Julie Skinner/Nancy Winters 6-4, 7-6
                          Catherine Dickson/Holly Hamilton d. Mary Ann Daum/Karen Griffin 6-3, 0-6,
                                                                                                             1-0
                           Stephanie Dintelmann/Cheryl Wayt d. Leigh Lewis/Heidi Smith 6-4, 7-5
 
Consolation (WEST):
Finals:  Leigh Lewis/Heidi Smith d. Ruth Ehresman/Heather Milton 6-1, 6-4
Semifinals:  Leigh Lewis/Heidi Smith d. Mary Ann Daum/Karen Griffin 6-0, 4-6, 1-0
Quarterfinals:  Leigh Lewis/Heidi Smith d. Martha Juhl/Anne Ross 7-5, 6-3
                            Mary Ann Daum/Karen Griffin d. Jane Herder/Cindy Rapponotti
                                                                            6-2, 6-4
                           Ruth Ehresman/Heather Milton d. Julie Skinner/Nancy Winters
                                                                             7-6, 3-6, 1-0
Round 1:  Leigh Lewis/Heidi Smith d. Rebecca Hartfield/Carol Kennedy 6-1, 6-4
                   Mary Ann Daum/Karen Griffin d. Lauri Heitz/Becky Skeens  Wo (Ill)
                   Julie Skinner/Nancy Winters d. Linda Landry/Teresa Schlafly 6-2, 6-1
 
Consolation (SOUTHWEST):
Finals:  Julie Skinner/Nancy Winters d. Martha Juhl/Anne Ross 6-2, 6-4
Semifinals:  Julie Skinner/Nancy Winters d. Diane Lewis/Nancy Rath 6-4, 6-0
 
Consolation (NORTHEAST):
Finals:  Teresa Emerson/Kelly Kramer d. Nancy Hinkson/Barbara Murray 6-2, 6-3
Semifinals:  Teresa Emerson/Kelly Kramer d. Michelle Millonais/Lydia Sanders 6-4, 6-2
 
NTRP Women’s 4.0 Doubles:
Round of 32:  Jodi Ferguson/Amy Snow d. Huong Doan/Hee-Sun Kim 6-0, 6-2
 
Consolation (WEST):
Round 1:  Diane Ruzicka/Linda Schaper d. Huong Doan/Hee-Sun Kim 6-1, 6-2
 
Consolation (SOUTH):
Semifinals:  Regan Hannigan/Patricia Hudson d. Huong Doan/Hee-Sun Kim 6-2, 6-4

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