NMI continues to shine at NPQ

Team CNMI is currently living up to expectations, with several members still sporting undefeated records after Day 2 of the North Pacific Qualifying tennis tournament yesterday on Guam.

Juniors netters Ji Hoon Heo, Tim Quan, Ralph Buenaventura, Nicolas Son, Lila Mailman, Vivian Lee, and Mayuko Arriola have yet to lose a match, while Russell Buenaventura, Audrey Motto, Keith Gabaldon, and Calvin Yang are making respectable pushes.

Heo is a force in the boys’ 14-and-under, scoring his third win of the tournament by beating Yuki Nakamoto of Guam in straight sets 6-0, 6-0, while Russell Buenaventura had a tougher time but still managed to squeeze up a 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) victory over Guam’s Roman Duenas. Yang fought hard but dropped his third straight match, losing to Guam’s Marten Lai 4-6, 5-7.

Heo won his first two matches of the tournament on Monday, beating Duenas 6-1, 6-0 and Lai 6-0, 6-1. For his part, Buenaventura beat Yang 6-2, 6-1 but lost to Palau’s Odanges Dengokl 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. Yang also lost to Lloyd Yamada of the Federated States of Micronesia 2-6, 3-6.

Also cruising is Lila Mailman, who also heads to today’s competition with a 3-0 card. She breezed past Alona Jackson of FSM 6-0, 6-0 and closed her day with a victory by the same score over Meagan Suzuki of the FSM. On Monday, Mailman strolled past FSM’s Sherrie Etibek 6-1, 6-1.

Lee also enters today’s action with a 3-0 record after beating Jackson 6-2, 6-1. She defeated Suzuki 6-2, 6-0 and Motto 7-5, 6-4 Monday. Motto won twice yesterday, slipping past Terea Tapu of Guam 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 and Etibek 6-2, 6-0. She opened her campaign with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Jackson Monday.

Quan was also successful in his Day 2 match against Palau’s Andrew Bates, scoring a 6-1, 6-0 victory, while Mayuko Arriola had her way in the girls’ corner, playing well down the stretch to trounce No. 2 Kelsey Isechal of Palau 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. Arriola also beat Kristine Datacalan of Guam 6-0, 6-0. She faces Guam’s Michelle Pang today in a battle of unbeatens.

Bates also lost to Son in straight sets 3-6, 3-6, while Gabaldon lost to teammate Ralph Buenaventura 2-6, 2-6. Ralph Buenaventura then followed up with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over FSM’s Midion Neth. Gabaldon then suffered another setback at the hands of Guam’s Justin Dugan 3-6, 2-6.

Earlier in the tournament, Quan beat Nikhil Singh 6-0, 6-0, while Arriola stopped Uriik Luii of Palau 6-3, 6-1 and FSM’s Grace Herman 6-0, 6-1.

Also, Ralph Buenaventura defeated Windell Galino of Guam 6-0, 6-1 while Son cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 win over Yamada and a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Singh. Gabaldon also won, beating Neth of FSM 6-2, 6-3.