Crunch time in Powerade tennis

Organizers will soon crown the champion of the 2005 Powerade Team Tennis Tournament, and with that in mind, participating netters are now putting up the best push they could in hopes of improving their marks at the American Memorial Park tennis courts.

Team Gold Rush and Green Squale played five intense bouts Tuesday night, with Gold Rush taking the edge, 3-2.

Gold Rush captain Alex Martin was a money-time player for his squad, helping his team’s cause by pairing with the husband-and-wife tandem of Dino and Letty Jones to win in the men’s and mixed doubles.

Martin was paired with Letty in the mixed competition and the two struck a chord for an 8-4 victory over Yuko Kobayashi and Green Squale captain Eli Buenaventura.

Martin and Dino then earned another victory for their corner via default.

Also proving to have a good night were Chris Chu and Abet Encarnacion, who put their minds and skills together to beat Bong Gamab and Roger De Villa 8-5.

Green Squale’s two victories came courtesy of the efforts of Audrey Motto and Mia Jones in the women’s doubles and Nicolas Son in the men’s singles.

The Motto-Jones combination was too much for Rose Pedersen and Thea Minor as the Green Squale duo strolled to an 8-3 win, while Son smacked his shots the way he wanted to and cruised to an 8-2 victory over John Wayne Kintaro.

The night’s second round featured Jagged Ice edging Mountain Blast, 4-2.

Vangie Espanola and Cleofe Santos were consistent in their women’s doubles match against Amanda Weindl and Shinobu Furr, and were victors by means of retirement. Weindl apparently suffered from cramps on her right leg.

Jagged Ice grabbed three more wins in the two-person competition, with Eric Mahinay and Vivian Lee starring in the mixed doubles and the duo of Roy Pangelinan and Jorge Olanda striking the same success in the men’s doubles. The one-two punch of Phil Kalen and Mario Buensuceso also worked their magic on the hardcourt.

Mahinay and Lee were taken to the limit but kept their composure and pushed the right buttons in crunch time to slice past Boyet Minor and Furr, 8-7.

Pangelinan and Olanda, meanwhile, had everything work for them and defeated Gary Ramsey and Art Lopez, 8-2, while Kalen and Buensuceso edged Yesman Guru and Nigel Cacdac, 8-5.

All was not lost for Mountain Blast, though, as Ji Hoon Heo, who is prepping for the ITF Pacific Oceania Junior Tennis Championships on August, stopped Sibley Santos, 8-0, while Tony Santos and Lito Cabrera got past Pangelinan and Buddy Garote, 8-5.

Jagged Ice returned to the court last night and faced Lemon Lime. Action continues tonight as Mango Orange takes on Gold Rush from 6pm to 8pm.

The championship matches will be held tomorrow, while the tournament officially comes to a close Saturday with a banquet at the AMP tennis courts.

The Powerade Team Tennis Tournament is sponsored by Coca Cola Beverage Co. and is organized by the Fil-American Tennis Association.

For more information on the 2005 Powerade Team Tennis Tournament, contact Joy Minor at 323-3081.