Saturday Senior Pennant teams are deep into finals action with some interesting results across the board last week.
Surfcoast Torquay were minor premiers in 2 and 3 Mixed and were formidable in both section finals, earning 6-0 wins in both matches against Lara White and Wandana Heights.
After only meeting once early in the season with close matches, the teams lay down the challenge to the remaining teams to catch them if they can. Lara wouldn’t be completely disheartened and may be ruing what could have been with three of the sets going to seven, and winning 24 games without getting on the board.
Torquay also had, what some would say, a surprise win against Barwon Heads in 1 Open.
Barwon Heads had a convincing 4-0 win in their previous encounter, but Torquay set themselves up with Michael Hilli handing Travis Toner his first loss for the season while Sam Rogers and Ryan Costello continued their unbeaten run in the doubles. Rogers and Costello paired for the second doubles and secured the win for Torquay.
Barwon Heads will face Highton Blue next week after Blue got over Moolap in the elimination final. There was only one game the difference after the first rubbers with Highton’s Luke McNabb winning the singles 6-4, 6-2, while Moolap’s Chris Forsyth and Connor Chivell took the doubles 6-4, 6-1. Highton steeled themselves in the reverse rubbers winning both for a 3-1 win.
Highton also enjoyed success in 4 Mixed with a 4-2 win over All Saints to keep their finals campaign alive, spearheaded by Frances Healey winning her three sets. Highton will face relative newcomers St Leonards in next week’s 4 Mixed prelim after they lost to Bannockburn by the barest of margins. The teams went set for set, and despite the Saints’ Amanda Morgan’s three sets, Bannockburn got over the line by one game.
Grovedale finished first (Black team) and third (Yellow team) and were successful in both 3 Open finals. Black split the first rubbers with Hamlyn Park before taking the win 3-1 while Yellow pulled off a clean sweep in the elimination final against Barwon Heads, dropping just one set for the day.
Ocean Grove finished second (White team) and fourth (Red team) in 2 Open, but couldn’t pull out a win in either match. Red bowed out, but not without some resistance. The first three rubbers were all decided in match tie-breaks, and the fourth almost ended the same way, but Riley Kotwic and Kyle Beattie managed to hold out in a second set tie-break.
A very tough 4-0 result to Moolap. White will be wanting to turn the tables on Grovedale if they make it through next week, with this week’s match tied on rubbers and sets, and Grovedale ahead by just three games.
Ocean Grove didn’t have luck on their side in 3 Mixed either, being knocked out by Eastern Districts, although chances were there with the first three sets going to seven. The final outcome was Districts with a 4-2 win facing Wandana next week.
Ocean Grove did have one success for the day with 2 Mixed, taking the first four sets against Western Heights Uniting Blue, ending the day with a 4-2 win, and a match up with Lara White next week.
Western Heights Uniting played Moolap White in the 1 Mixed elimination and the teams went set for set with Amy Lismore and Darcy King winning the final set 6-1 to give Moolap the win by just one game.
In the first semi, Grovedale had a tough day against Wandana Heights in 1 Mixed, dropping the first four sets to the minor premiers before rallying to force the final result to 4-2, putting Wandana straight through and Grovedale to face Moolap White in the prelim.
