It was the halfway mark of the winter season this week for Tennis Geelong’s Senior Pennant and things couldn’t be closer at the top end of Section 3 Mixed with only one point separating the top three teams.
Surfcoast Torquay leapfrogged Ocean Grove Red and Wandana Heights to take top spot with a win at home against Eastern Districts.
Torquay stormed out of the blocks winning the first two mixed 6-0, 6-1, while Districts women Debbie Irwin and Madison Gioffre won 6-3, and Torquay’s men Brenton and Peter Currie countered 6-3 in the doubles.
Torquay’s mixed pairings again proved too strong in the reverse mixed, Torquay winning five sets to one, with Brenton and Peter Currie three-set winners.
Ocean Grove White got to within two points of the four, when they posted a 4-2 win over Grovedale.
The teams were evenly matched with Grovedale winning the first mixed 6-4 while Ocean Grove took the second 6-2. Grovedale proved too strong in the women’s 6-0, and the Grove in the men’s 6-2, leaving the teams even on sets and games going into the reverse mixed.
Vanessa Armstrong and Darren Loftus put Ocean Grove in front with a 6-3 win in the fifth set before Oscar Dallman teamed with Marina Merriman to win his third set for the day 6-3, putting his team over the line.
Things were a little closer when Drysdale hosted Leopold with the home team coming from behind to take the win.
The opening mixed sets were keenly fought with Leopold eventually taking both sets 7-5, 6-4. Ria Kougi and Rachel Shanks fought back hard for Drysdale, winning the women’s 6-0, but Leopold steadied with Hayden Walters and Jackson Brotchie taking the men’s 6-2.
Leopold were looking for their first win of the season after a couple of close loses, but Drysdale were to deny them again with Kougi teaming with Thomas Palmateer to take the fifth 6-1 and Georgina Palmateer with Tim Craven winning the sixth 6-2, levelling the sets and putting Drysdale ahead by seven games.
The final match of the day was between first and second teams Wandana Heights and Ocean Grove Red and proved the most pivotal for the day.
Wandana started the day well winning both mixed with Anneliese Walsh and Rowan Perrott ahead 6-4 while Melissa and Craig Smith dominated 6-0.
The doubles were one-sided affairs with Wandana taking the men’s 6-1 and Ocean Grove the women’s 6-1.
Going into the reverse mixed, Wandana were leading three sets to one with an eight-game advantage and were looking good for the win. Both matches were hard fought with Ocean Grove getting over the line in both 6-4, 6-3, which levelled the teams on sets.
Wandana did enough to keep three games ahead, taking the win for the day. The win put Wandana one point away from Ocean Gove Red and Surfcoast with only percentage separating the top two teams, keeping the section as one of the closest in the competition.
