LOCAL TENNIS with Donna Schoenmaekers
While calmer than previous weeks, the wind was still a factor in Tuesday Women’s, although in Section 7 all five teams remained within reach of each other.
This week gives a proper insight into the team placements as each team has played the same number of matches.
Point Lonsdale had the bye this week and still retained top spot on 43 points.
Second placed Anglesea travelled to Moolap and had a battle on their hands. The teams had several close sets, with the teams tied all through the match, with Anglesea eventual winners three sets all 29-27 games. Although Moolap didn’t get over the line, they still moved into third, just ahead of Leopold by percentage.
Leopold were hosted by St Mary’s in the second match of the morning and were also toe to toe for most of the day. The teams split the first two sets and then the middle sets before St Mary’s steeled themselves winning the final two sets to take the win 4-2 and putting themselves within four points of Anglesea and Moolap.
Section 6 was poised for a great day, but didn’t quite meet expectations with two matches affected by injury.
Ladder leaders Moolap travelled to Wandana Heights this week, for a match up with their Blue team. With the wind blowing, conditions were a little difficult, but nothing that the women from Moolap couldn’t handle. Both teams started well, but Moolap took an early lead with Kirsty Matthews and Belinda Atkins winning the first 6-3, while Vanessa Armstrong and Denise Black battled to a 6-4 win.
Wandana were hampered by injury in the third set while in the fourth Atkins and Black had their hands full before eventually winning 7-5. From there Moolap took control winning the final two sets 6-1, 6-0 and the win, cementing top spot.
Wandana Heights Green were also hit with injury at 4-2 in the first set, and without another player to step in, had to relinquish three sets. Two of the sets completed showed how evenly matched the teams are with Green winning the second set 7-5 while the Springs won the fourth in a tie-break. Clifton Springs finished with a 5-1 win, and a move into second place.
Grovedale improved their chances of making finals in their win over St Mary’s and moving from sixth to fourth. Robyn Elliott and Steph Thomas started off well for Grovedale with a 6-1 in the first set and Monika Loving and Anne Waldron improved on it with a 6-0 win in the second. Pauline Collier and Carol Mills put St Mary’s on the board with a tie-break win in the third, but from there it was all Grovedale winning the final three sets, finishing five sets to one.
