It was grand-final week for Monday Women’s Section 1, which had been close at the top of the table all season.
With a bye thrown in, positions changed throughout the season with Smash Hits claiming the minor premiership in the last round, and only by percentage, ahead of Rust-eze.
The two teams had solid wins over the other during the season, so it was likely that selection of pairings and the matchups was going to play a part in the end result.
The first doubles saw Smash Hits’ Sharon Miguel-Cranston and Katie Nalesnyik against Denise Airey and Evie Ryan from Rust-eze. Both pairs have played well together, but had not played each other during the season.
Both teams started tentatively, but Smash Hits got an early break thanks to some good serving from Nalesnyik and solid volleying from Miguel-Cranston. Airey and Ryan stayed in it, rallying well and moving the ball around the court, but with a second break late in the set, Smash Hits proved too good, winning 8-4.
Emily Sullivan and Clare Mullen for Smash Hits were pitted against Andrea Eccleston and Mel McClelland for Rust-eze in the second set, with both pairs long-standing partners who play well together.
Eccleston, with her low slice, and McClelland, getting the better of some long forehand rallies, took the set 8-3 to give Rust-eze the edge by one game going into the final two sets.
Miguel-Cranston and Sullivan took on McClelland and Airey in the first reverse doubles, which was again punctuated by Sullivan and McClelland trading forehands from the back of the court.
The combination of Airey hitting deep from the Ad court into Sullivan’s backhand and Miguel-Cranston’s forehand for the McClelland backhand volley put-away, was the difference with Rust-eze getting up 8-2.
Lengthy rallies were the feature on the second court with Nalesnyik and Mullen not willing to miss against Ryan and Narelle Thompson. The pairs were well matched with many games going to deuce, but Smash Hits were the eventual winners 8-5.
The match ended tied on sets, but Rust-eze was ahead by four games, to claim their second premiership for the year.
Section 2 featured minor premiers Highton playing newcomers Winchelsea and with two close wins, were favourites going into the match.
The first sets were complete contrasts with Highton’s Sara Chol and Sarah Laird getting the best start with an 8-0 win while Brea Hulands and Mary-Anne Castro battled a marathon with Winch’s Cinthya Sabillon and Lesley Matheson before eventually coming out ahead 8-6.
Laird had a night to remember when she teamed with Castro for an 8-1 win in the reverse doubles, dropping just game for the night, to seal the win for Highton, but the result had no effect on play in the final set with Hulands and Sabillon again keeping it close with their partners Chol and Joanne Law, respectively, pushing to a tie-break.
The Highton pair proved too steady at the end to give Highton the win with a clean sweep.
