For the second season in a row, Tuesday Midweek finals have been hampered by rain.
Section 1 saw Geelong Lawn Pink make it through to next week’s grand final with a 5-1 win over Surfcoast Bellbrae in the first semi-final.
While the score looked one sided, Pink didn’t have it all their own way with two tie-breaks and three sets decided by one service break.
The second semi went to Surfcoast Torquay in a slight upset over Geelong Lawn White. White had beaten Torquay twice during the season, but Torquay handled the conditions well to take the first four sets. Tthen with the decision beyond doubt and hail starting to pelt, the final two sets weren’t played.
Section 2 was a tale of two halves with Ocean Grove winning its semi over Point Lonsdale
6-0, while Winchelsea inched over the line at three sets all and four games over Grovedale.
Susan Bissett lead from the front for Ocean Grove at number one only dropping four games for the day, while Andea Spiller and Sue Sutherland won two sets apiece to help Winch to its win.
Aireys Inlet would be rueing its 6-0 loss to Geelong Lawn last week, as this pushed it to third, missing out on a home final this week against Anglesea in Section 3.
Anglesea made the most of the home court advantage in the second-semi, winning through to the grand final four sets to two. In the first semi, minor premiers Geelong Lawn was upset by fourth placed Highton four sets to love, with the final two sets not needed.
It was a preliminary final for Surfcoast Bellbrae and Point Lonsdale in Section 4. The match was moved to Anglesea due to soggy courts, but Bellbrae recovered well from its first-semi loss to Moolap last week, getting over the line four sets to two, with Kerryn Viner winning her three sets. The team will be looking forward to the rematch with Moolap next week.
It was a similar result in Section 5, with the difference being that Barwon Heads as the away team, took a four sets to two win against minor premiers Clifton Springs. The Heads managed to sneak into the prelim with a three sets all, four-game lead away from home to Teesdale in the second semi last week, and have continued their form this week.
Clifton Springs had a horror finals run going down in a tight four sets to two loss to Aireys Inlet in the first-semi before a loss this week.
It was a three-game difference that got Anglesea over the line at St Stephens in Section 6, with the teams tied at three sets all. The match was evenly poised across the day with the away team just getting over the line in the most closely matched section of the season.
A good start saw Hamlyn Park into next week’s grand final in Section 7, with a three sets all, two-game difference over Western Heights. The home team took the first two sets 6-3, 6-1 before the Heights hit back taking the third set 6-3 and narrowly missing the fourth in a tie-break.
The Heights proceeded to win the final two sets 6-3, 7-6, but couldn’t make up the game difference, leaving the Park to face St Mary’s next week.
Everything went as the ladder would predict in Section 8 with Grovedale and St Mary’s both winning their semis 5-1. The two teams have been standouts at the top of the ladder, and while Moolap and Leopold played well, they were unable to match them on the scoreboard.
