Grand final spots were up for grabs this week with semi- and preliminary finals in all Tuesday Women’s Winter Pennant.
Point Lonsdale and Anglesea will face off in the Section 7 final after they both posted 5-1 wins over St Mary’s and Moolap.
The teams met three times during the home and away rounds with a win each and a draw, so next week’s match may come down to match ups.
Moolap were gifted a finals berth when St Mary’s were unable to field a team in Section 6, putting Moolap one step closer to being crowned champions.
In the second-semi Wandana Heights Green hosted Clifton Springs and were slow to start with the Springs jumping to a 2-0 lead. From there, however, Green rallied, winning the final four sets to earn their place in next week’s final.
Section 2 was the third section of semi-finals with two very different results. Minor premiers Grovedale started well against Surfcoast Torquay Yellow winning the first three sets before Yellow posted a win in the fourth before Grovedale closed out the match five sets to one.
Things were a little different at Aireys Inlet where the home team hosted Point Lonsdale.
The teams split the first two sets before Aireys took the next two 6-4, giving them a 3-1 lead.
The ladies from Lonny weren’t going to give it away, fighting back to win the final two sets, leaving the teams tied on sets and games. It came down to a seventh set with Janette Dangerfield and Michelle Noe selected to play for Aireys against Val Wilson and Linda Muratori for Point Lonsdale. The pair from Aireys took control of the set, winning 6-1 and a place in next week’s final.
Grovedale enjoyed another win in Section 5 when they hosted Clifton Springs Yellow. The teams were evenly matched in three of the first four sets but Grovedale proved a little better, getting over the line 6-4, 7-5, 7-5.
Grovedale went ahead to win the first five sets with Therese Wilson and Kerrie Grinter leading the charge winning their three sets, the team eventual 5-1 winners.
Section 1’s Surfcoast Torquay Black had another close match this week, going down by one game last week and getting over the line by three this week over Barwon Heads. The teams had solid wins in the first two sets with Black winning the first 6-1 while the Heads won the second 6-2.
Things were similar in the following two sets with each team taking one 6-1.
Sharon Hannett and Lyn Mellsop put Black ahead winning the sixth set 6-2, while a battle ensued on the other court. Black worked to a 4-3 lead, which was enough to ensure the win before retiring due to illness.
In yet another close match, Moolap put themselves into the grand final against Highton Blue with a win by one game. Blue kicked off well, winning the first two sets 6-3, 6-1 before Moolap came back to win the next two 6-4, 6-0.
With the teams tied on sets and games, tension was high on the court in the final two sets. Erica Sutherland and Rita Nelis put Moolap ahead winning the fifth 6-3 while Sue Pickering and Belinda Murphy took the sixth for Blue 6-4, but it wasn’t enough with Moolap remaining one game ahead and with their finals hopes still alive.
