The Women’s Team matches in the evening session of Monday 29 August brought the Pacific Games to light. Two nail biting contests were fought out but in the end the host nation New Caledonia along with Vanuatu emerged successful.
New Caledonia faced off against Tahiti, their fellow French speaking neighbors. In a match that last 4 hours, there were plenty of twists and turns. Alexandra Heraclide gave New Caledonia the perfect start by defeating Tahiti’s Tuarikirau Thunot in five games. Tahiti equalized however when young gun Tina Mii sensationally defeated the leading Pacific female player Ornella Bouteille in four games. For Tina Mii it was surely a career best victory, the slender right hander who is still eligible for cadet’s next year played with confidence and without a hint of nervousness as she disposed of her higher ranked and favored opponent.
Following this Tahiti opened up a four matches to two lead as Tahiti’s number one player Melveen Richmond accounted for Fleur Dumortier in four games and Alexandra Heraclide in five games and additionally Tina Mii also held her nerve to overcome Fleur Dumortier by the narrowest of margins in five games.
The New Caledonian outfit however was not to be denied as they claimed the remaining three matches to claim victory by five matches to four. Ornella Bouteille defeated Melveen Richmond in straight games, Fleur Dumortier overcame Tuarikirau Thunot in four games, and in the deciding match Alexandra Heraclide overcame Tina Mii in four games. For New Caledonia it was a narrow escape, for Tahiti it was a case of what might have been. Both teams however still have a chance to claim the gold medal once the round robin event is complete.
The other close match of the evening went the way of Vanuatu as they outlasted Fiji to the tune of five matches to four. Leading Vanuatu’s victory was seventeen year old Stephanie Qwea who recorded three victories against Leighann Antonio, Julia Koi and crucially in the deciding ninth match against Carolyn Xuan Li. Vanuautu’s remaining victories came from National Team stalwart Anolyn Lulu as she overcame both Julia Koi and Carolyn Xuan Li.
Fiji’s successes came at the hands of Leighann Antonio as she recorded a career best victory over Anolyn Lulu and all three of the Fijians over powered Vanuatu’s Pareina Matariki.
Earlier in the day things had been more one sided. Tahiti demolished Papua New Guinea without dropping a single match, Vanuatu defeated new comers Nauru by six matches to three and then also defeated Papua New Guinea without dropping a match, and additionally Fiji proved too strong for Nauru with a seven matches to two victory.
Last Modified on 31/08/2011 09:29