It was winter weather for semi-finals week in Tennis Geelong’s Tuesday Women’s Summer Pennant, but the rain stayed away long enough for matches to go ahead in all sections.
It was do or die for those in the second-semis as elimination loomed if results didn’t go their way, and results were decisive or close until the end, with not much in between.
Section 4 were in their last round of home and away matches, with Western Heights hosting Surfcoast Bellbrae Green and both teams keen to gain third spot, avoiding runaway ladder leaders Surfcoast Torquay Black in next week’s final.
Bellbrae started well, but didn’t have everything their own way, winning the first three sets, with two going to seven. The Heights pushed hard winning two sets, but it wasn’t enough to stop Bellbrae taking the win and third place.
Moolap had a day they would prefer to forget, with Section 7 going down to Grovedale 6-0, and although posting 20 games, they were in many sets but just couldn’t get over the line.
Section 2 would have been hoping for a repeat of their 6-0 win over Surfcoast Torquay Yellow in round 8, but instead were shell-shocked with a 6-0 loss, and only managing seven games for the morning.
Highton had a hard battle against Mount Moriac in Section 3, and despite the tough conditions, the match was punctuated with plenty of long rallies, and the rain kindly waited until the teams were settled into lunch. While Highton took the win 5-1, it wasn’t all that easy with two of them tie-breaks and only a nine-game differential.
The winner for Section 6 before the match was difficult to pick with both Wandana Heights Blue and Hamlyn Park having strong wins over the other during the season. The match was evenly poised through the day with the teams tied at two sets with Wandana ahead by two games going into the final two sets. Tensions were high as both fifth and sixth sets went to the wire, but Hamlyn Park toughed it out winning both 6-4, 7-6 to book their place against Clifton Springs next week, with Tanja McKenzie a standout winning her three sets.
Section 5 was the battle of Grovedale with their Black team hosting Yellow, after Yellow snuck into the finals in the final round. Both teams posted 5-1 wins against the other during the season, but it was a completely different outcome on Tuesday.
The teams split the first two sets before Black took the lead winning the next two, putting them up 3-1 with two sets to play. Yellow blasted out of the blocks in the final two sets, leaving Black shellshocked as Yellow won 6-1, 6-0, levelling the sets at three all, but keeping them one game ahead, and their finals campaign alive.
Moriac hosted Geelong Lawn in Section 1, which was likely to be an epic battle, as both matches in home and away were three sets all and one a drawn result, and it was.
Moriac clinched the first set in a tie-break, while Lawn got through 6-4 in the second. Lawn took the lead winning the third and fourth 6-3, 6-4, leaving Moriac a tough ask to come through.
Tough they were, however, battling in the final two sets to win 6-4, 6-4 leaving the match tied on sets and games, sending it to a seventh deciding set. The teams selected their pairs with Bridget Laird and Fiona Blood for Moriac, and Lynda Nixon and Georgie Parker for Lawn going out for the decider. In yet another close set, Moriac managed the win 6-4, putting them through to face minor premiers Barwon Heads next week.
