ISML 2009: Saber, Yuki, Ami and Suigintou big winners on Topaz 4

ISML 2009: Saber, Yuki, Ami and Suigintou big winners on Topaz 4

April 21, 2009

With the 2009 International Saimoe League season past the halfway point in the Topaz necklace phase, We have a sense of who could be making a push to qualify for the Tiara phase early on. Match Day 4 was full of excitement, action, close shootouts and plenty of blowouts.

It was a battle of swordmanship versus musicianship as Kotomi Ichinose faced off against Arthuria Pendragon, better known as Saber, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Saber moved one step closer to qualifying for the postseason with a 1347-1177 victory.

In Buenos Aires, Argentina, Taiga Aisaka faced one of the veterans of the Saimoe circuit, Yuki Nagato. But it was the computer ace of the SOS Brigade that emerged victorious with a 1352-1143 win in the Argentinian capital.

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, witnessed a treat between two new entrants to the tournament: Mei Sunohara vs. Ami Kawashima. An entertaining match saw Kawashima salavage at least one victory for the Toradora! crew, 1306-1142.

Paris was home to another barnburner, with Fuuko Ibuki facing off against Suigintou. The Rozen Maiden's number one doll is knocking on the doorstep of the top 16 with a 1470-1142 victory.

Haruhi Suzumiya destroyed Vita by the score of 1836-813 in Tokyo. Aside from Suzumiya keeping ker clean sheet, defending champion Fate Testarossa Harlaown faced her first stiff test of the season agaianst Minori Kushieda. Nonetheless, she kept her unbeaten streak alive with a 1378-1052 victory in Madrid. Kyou Fujibayashi was rarely challenged by Aya Shameimaru, as her clean sheet continued with a 1649-623 laugher in Santiago, Chile. Tomoyo Sakagami had no problems with Patchouli Knowledge, either. She easily ripped apart the Scarlet Library denizen, 1726-617, in Bogota, Colombia.

Kagami Hiiragi kept her spot at the top of the Topaz rankings. She scored a 1750-637 blasting of Remilia Scarlet in Sydney.

In other action, Mikoto Misaka prevailed in Mexico City with a 1327-977 decision over Kallen Kozuki (Stadtfeld), Tsukasa Hiiragi notched a 1604-791 rout of Akari Mizunashi in New York City, and Shinku kept Marisa Kirisame winless in Shanghai, winning 1465-888.

Lagos saw a close contest between Rika Furude and Sayuri Kurata. Amid the go-slows, Furude took this one, 1200-1075. Misuzu Kamio got on the win column with a 1216-1014 victory in Los Angeles, Nagisa Furukawa got past Konjiki no Yami (Golden Darkness) 1263-1116 in Seoul, Nanoha Takamachi took down Nayuki MInase 1448-913 in Karachi, and Yuuhi Katagiri pulled off an easy 1361-804 victory over Ayumu "Osaka" Kasuga in Dhaka.

Illyasviel von Einzbern burned Tamaki Kawazoe 1393-840 in Manila, Cairo saw Suiseiseki complete a Rozen sweep with a close 1175-1167 win, Rena Ryuuguu dusted off Kirino Chiba 1442-747 in Jakarta, Hoilo had no problems devouring Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere 1451-961 in Istanbul, and Moscow saw Konata Izumi complete a successful outing for Lucky Star's power trio with a 1411-1070 triumph over Mai Kawasumi.

Hinagiku Katsura kept her momentum going with a 1607-702 annihilation of Amu Hinamori in London, Lima saw Alice Carroll get on the win column with a 1057-988 victory in Lima, C.C. prevented a clean sweep of the Higurashi representatives with a 1318-1073 victory in Tehran, Iran, and Sakura Kinomoto held her own against Maria with a close 1189-1181 squaker in Bangkok, Thailand.

Wrapping up today's action, Hayate Yagami outpaced Anya Earlstreim in a battle of new faces, 1196-1048 in Kinshasa, Congo DR. Toronto saw Nagi Sanzen'in cruise to an easy 1446-836 victory over Evangeline A.K. McDowell, Reimu Hakurei salvaged a win for Touhou Project with a 1100-1019 victory over Shiori Misaka in Algiers, Shana blasted Makoto Sawatari 1816-648 in Milan, and Chii defeated Index L. Prohibitorum, 1241-1077 in Katowice, Poland.

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International Saimoe League Commisioner Minhtam Nguyen (minhtam1638) contributed to this report.