Tuesday Women’s Sections 1 and 3 were at the preliminary final stage and both matches produced upsets.
Kristie Walters and Marg Leigh set Surfcoast Bellbrae off on the right track with a 6-1 win while Mel Keating and Judi Broad backed up their win last week to put Ocean Grove on the board.
Susan Bissett and Kate Lockhart pushed ahead from two-all to win the third for the Grove while Keating and Alison Lugg put them ahead winning 6-4. Bellbrae’s Walters and Colleen Battye blew out to a 4-0 lead, before taking their set 6-2 keeping Bellbrae in the match, but Lockhart and Broad also pushed out to a 4-0 before getting up 6-3. Ocean Grove going into its first Section 1 final in many years.
Section 3 was won well by Highton, which, according to Anglesea, was “just too good and too crafty today”.
Highton’s Pauline Edmunds, Liz Worpel, Anna Goli, Leanne Baxter proved too good, winning 5-1. Anglesea would be licking its wounds with three sets lost 7-6, 7-5 and 6-4, and had its chances. Highton advanced to face Clifton Springs in the final.
Highton’s Section 4 team did not fare so well either against Drysdale. Lisa Leahy and Melanie Wise won the first set 6-1, but Drysdale reeled off the next three, then the final set, spearheaded by Helen Glavocih, winning her three for the morning, and the team taking a total of four for the win.
Teesdale hosted Surfcoast Bellbrae in Section 4’s first final in one of the closest matches for the day. The teams traded sets through the day, with two of the sets going to 7-5, but minor premier Teesdale was too consistent, getting up by four games.
Surfcoast featured in three finals, with just the one success in Section 2. Torquay hosted Aireys Inlet for the second week in a row and drew on sets and games. The teams went set for set in the first four matches and were level with two sets to play. Winsome Batchelor and Joanne Forde put Torquay in front, winning the fifth, then Josephine Long clinched her third set for the morning with Melissa Coulsell to put Surfcoast Torquay into next week’s grand final.
In the first final Moolap travelled to Point Lonsdale to take on the minor premiers, but did not have much joy on the court, with the home team winning the first four sets giving it an unassailable lead, before completing the match 5-1.
In Section 6 Moolap also didn’t have a great day against Wandana Heights Green. The two teams have had three close matches through the season, all decided on games, but this week, Wandana blew the match away, winning the first four sets. Moolap rallied in the final two sets, but Wandana progressed and will travel to Barwon Heads next week, after the Heads dominated Newcomb 6-0.
The team of Dallas Cronwright, Katie Hedley, Margie Sanders, Lydia Cover and Maura Sweet, with one loss for the season to Moolap, will take on Wandana Heights Green.
St Mary’s hosted Leopold Green in Section 7, and with two wins to one in home and away, it was likely to be close. The teams went set for set with St Mary’s holding a four-game lead going into the last two sets. Christie Moores and Teresa Mifsud put St Mary’s ahead 6-4, but Pauline Collier and Carol Mills took an emphatic 6-0 win in the last to put the result beyond doubt.
In the second-semi, minor premier Grovedale accounted for an illness affected Point Lonsdale, winning the first four sets to take the win.
In Section 5, it was a good day’s tennis between Grovedale Black and Wandana Heights. The first four sets were split with Grovedale holding a slim lead. Catherine Thompson and Jacqui Blampled put Wandana a set up with a tie-break win, but Kerrie Grinter and Vicki Castven put Grovedale over the line, winning 6-3 and a place in next week’s final.
