Ackerman reigns in POJC

Tammy Ackerman continued to have an impressive 2011 season after prevailing in the all-CNMI singles finals in the U12 division of the 2011 Pacific Oceania Junior Champions in Lautoka, Fiji, last Thursday.

Ackerman, winner of various local competitions in her age group this year, defeated teammate Negahr Rastguiy in the girls U12 singles championship game, 6-2, 6-4. Ackerman advanced to the finals after stunning Pool A top finisher and then undefeated Vinda Teally of Samoa in an extended two-set semis match, 7-5, 7-5. Rastguiy assured the CNMI the 1-2 finish in the U12 when she survived Pool A second placer Kelani Chene of Tonga in three sets, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

After their semis games Thursday morning, the two CNMI netters collided for the championship in the afternoon with Ackerman still had enough juice to play back-to-back games and beat Rastguiy.

In the boys U12 division, Carl Dela Cruz lost in the semifinals, but still finished at the No. 3 spot in the 12-player group.

Dela Cruz bowed to Pool A top finisher Tiernan Breen of Fiji, 6-3, 6-4. The Commonwealth netter was then forced to play in the battle for third and needed three sets to thwart Tonga’s Tei Ki Tongi. Dela Cruz dropped the opening set, 4-6, but saved the win and made it to the Top 3 after sweeping the last two sets, 6-3, 6-0. Tahiti’s Michael Emery won the U12 division after beating Breen, 6-2, 6-0.

In the boys U15 division, Christian Miller boosted his chances to finish in the No. 1 spot in his last competition in this age group after advancing to the finals.

Miller notched twin wins on Thursday to book a finals berth in the boys U15 singles. He defeated Pool D top finisher Teba Tito of Kiribati in the quarterfinals, 6-3, 6-3, and then slipped past the Cook Island’s Tamarua Payne in the semifinals in three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Miller’s finals foe was Tahiti’s Heve Kelley and they were scheduled to square off for the championships yesterday. Kelley advanced to the finals after beating the CNMI’s Jake Lee, 6-0, 6-1, and New Caledonia’s Celestin Tisserant, 6-3, 6-3.

In the girls U15, Mikayla Lopez failed on her finals bid after losing to Pool A top finisher Alesi Molotii of Tonga in the semifinals. Lopez got off to a strong start in the playoffs, winning the first set, 6-1, but could not keep her momentum, as Molotii stole the last two sets for the finals berth, 6-1, 6-4.

Lopez fell to fourth place in the 12-player field, as she also dropped her consolation game against New Caledonia’s Yaelle Honakolo, 2-6, 1-6. Lopez’s fellow U15 player, Melody Johnson, finished ninth, prevailing in her last game against Guam’s Camdyn Nadler, 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.

In the U18 division, sisters Thea and Theecel Minor placed fifth and ninth, respectively, while Rafael Jones finished in the Top 4. Thea won her last two games for the No. 5 spot, downing American Samoa’s Leilani Duchnak, 6-4, 6-4, and Fiji’s Amanda Korinihona, 6-3, 6-3. Theecel avoided a shutout in the POJC after defeating Palau’s Abigail Gbewonyo, 6-1, 1-6, 7-6 (4).

In the round robin boys U18 singles, Jones finished with a 4-3 card, winning his last game against American Samoa’s Christian Duchnak, 6-1, 7-5.