LOCAL TENNIS with Donna Schoenmaekers
It was yet more ghastly weather that faced grand finalists in this week’s Thursday Triples Winter Pennant, with one final being pushed out to Monday due to the unplayable conditions.
Section 2 avoided the worst of the weather playing their final the week before the others with Geelong Lawn and H.E.A.T playing for the second week in a row.
Lawn went into the match as favourites, having won both home and away matches, and they started the match in winning fashion with Jason McGregor and Shaun Rowolle winning the first doubles 6-0 and Toby Lawrence the singles 6-2.
Nicholas Lunn and Lou Arzanovski put H.E.A.T. on the board winning a tie-break in the second doubles, but Rowolle kept Lawn in front winning the second singles 6-2.
H.E.A.T won through in the third doubles 6-4 but McGregor sealed the 4-2 win taking the third singles 6-3.
It was the battle of Highton in Section 4, when Grown-Ups hosted Kiss My Ace in a match delayed until Monday. Anthony Eyles, Sara Chol and Conor McKinnon were looking for a double after winning the Section 4 Open two weeks ago, and they got off to a flyer with Chol winning the first singles 6-4 and Eyles teaming with Martin Costello to take the first doubles 6-4.
Fraser Mahony managed a win for Kiss My Ace in the second singles 6-2, but that was the best they could do for the night, with both Eyles and Chol winning their three sets for the night, giving Grown-Ups a 5-1 win.
Western Heights Uniting had the best win for the night in their match up with Lara in Section 6. With the teams having scored one win each during home and away, with a number of tie-breaks in their last match, a favourite was difficult to pick. The Heights started well, and just continued from their winning all six sets for a clean sweep.
Section 5 saw minor premiers Serving the Net host Hit for Brains at Hamlyn Park for the second week running. Round 10 saw Serving the Net taking a 5-1 win, and the final produced the same result. Hit for Brains won the first doubles 6-4, but it was all Serving the Net from there with several close sets, but seeing them the eventual victors, with Tom Smith going three for three involved in Saturday’s 1 Boys, 5 Open, and now Triples Section 5.
Moolap Goats had a similar scoreline in Section 3, in their match with The Wink Wizards at home. The Wizards won the first doubles 6-3, but from there the Goats took control winning the next five sets.
The remaining final is in Section 1 between Grovedale Tigers and reigning premiers Moolap Two Phones Chol which was rescheduled to Thursday, assuming the weather plays nice.