Conditions were different for this week’s Tuesday Women’s competition to what the returning Saturday Pennant players experienced this week with competitors able to focus more on the play rather than gusty winds.
Round 11 sees the competition drawing closer to finals and things starting to play out in Section 3.
Mount Moriac had the bye this week in the seven team section, and sitting in fifth, four points behind Ocean Grove at the start of the day, would be hoping that Eastern Districts could work some magic to keep them in touch.
Ocean Grove has its second bye next week and was hoping to post a good win to stay ahead of Mount Moriac and a good win was recorded.
Eastern Districts, which finished just outside the finals in summer, has struggled a little this season and the trend continued on Tuesday. Kay Ehrenberg, Jan Fordyce, Maureen Stanic, Vanessa Armstrong and Peta Timothee proved too strong for the Grove, taking the match five sets to one with Delwyn Foster and Kylie Cameron the highlight for Districts with a 6-4 win in the final set.
Ocean Grove now move into third, but with the bye still to come, and Anglesea and Mount Moriac not far behind, the move may be temporary.
Highton has had its second bye and pulled closer to ladder leaders Clifton Springs, which is yet to have a bye.
It was a strong upset win five sets to one. The Springs hadn’t lost a match since round 1, which included a 4-2 win over Highton in the previous encounter. Highton was a team on a mission, winning the first five sets with Anna Goli, Leanne Baxter, Liz Worpel, Louise Mayall and Susan Williams taking control of the match. The Springs could only manage the last set with Emily Mortimer and Belinda Garwood posting a 6-2 win.
While the first two matches may have been one sided on the scoreboard, the third between Surfcoast Jan Juc and Anglesea was anything but. Gayle Roche and Fiona Spence kicked things off for Surfcoast with a 6-4 win, but Andrea Webb and Anna Goli tied it up winning 6-4.
Webb then teamed with Chris Gray for a 6-4 win while Spence countered with Julie McDonald winning 6-3 to take a one-game lead.
Surfcoast got into the box seat with Roche and McDonald taking the fifth 6-3 before drama struck in the sixth with injury forcing Surfcoast to retire, but with the score at 5-4 to Surfcoast, it was just enough to get over the line by two games.
With three weeks to go Clifton Springs, Ocean Grove and Surfcoast still have their bye round to come giving Highton a real chance to steal the minor premiership.
Highton is only seven points behind and the battle for third and fourth is still alive with Ocean Grove, Anglesea and Mount Moriac genuine chances and Surfcoast still has hope if things go its way.
