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Sunraysia Table Tennis Summer Pennant results Round 12: –
PENNANT ONE:
– Mallee Bearings 6 (Rick McMeekin, Jackson Tung 2, Michael Hogarth 1) d Max Miller Carpets 5(Matt Ljubic 3, Mark Dorman 1)
– Exposed Signage/Apparel 6 (Joel Thomas 3, Ed Hung 1) d Tankard Dental 5 (Jackson Murphy, Mark Ljubic 2, Nicholas Dorman 1)
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Gavin Carmichael, Kate Carmichael, Matt Avers 2) d Fishers IGA 4 (Wayne Carmichael 3)
PENNANT TWO:
– Bishop Builders 7 (Peter Bishop 3, Jeremy Corrin 2, Josh Carmichael 1) d Pinnacle Packers 4 (Peter Midgley 2, Cole Keegan 1)
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Lee Thomas 3, Connor Lavery, Andrew Alderton 1) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Andrew Jones, Reece Kurrle 2)
– MJM Automotive 7 (Geoff Wright 3, Terry Martin, Geoff Peters 1) d Mallee Meats 4 (Ashley Morrison 2, Arnold Jago, Cambell McKenzie 1)
– Tankard Dental 6 (Arthur Paar, Rod Healy 2, Tony Malycha 1) d Fishers IGA 5 (John Gray 3, Seval Fuat 1)
PENNANT THREE:
– Fishers IGA 6 (Kerry Wallace 3, Stefan Ljubic 1) d Mallee Meats 5 (Sam Hensgen, Quentin Clark 2, David Sergi 1)
Tankard Dental 6 (Michael Hensgen 3, Claire Ljubic 1) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Karly Leach, Daniel Griffiths 2, Huseyin Ismail 1)
– MJM Automotive 7 (Anthony Sergi 3, John Fitzpatrick 2, Nick Shou 1) d Dunkley Scales 4 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick 2, Kim Avers 1)
Matt Ljubic made arguably the biggest statement in his Stta career by picking up 3 wins and most importantly knocking off Rick ‘Cool Breeze’ McMeekin in the process. That makes 3 number one scalps this winter season after previously beating Gavin ‘Richie’ Carmichael and Mark ‘Vice Presidente’ Ljubic. What next for the young gun. His dad might say: ‘All he has to do now is pick up a Pennant One title which I havent done since 1993. That would make it really hard to deal with in the household!
PENNANT ONE:
Round twelve of Sunraysia Table Tennis featured some unexpected results in several singles matches and three close contests in the fight for the four points, as three rounds remain before the finals.
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Gavin Carmichael, Kate Carmichael, Matt Avers 2) d Fishers IGA 4 (Wayne Carmichael 3)
In the tussle for top position on the ladder Weightmans Packaging moved four points clear of Fishers IGA with a hard fought 7-4 win on the grand stand court. The first round of singles produced two five setters with both going the way of Weightmans to help set up an early ascendancy particularly after Weightmans pair Gavin and Kate Carmichael then won the first doubles in four over Wayne Carmichael and Leslie Ncube. The first singles of the night was between youngsters Matt Avers for Weightmans and Bernadette Fitzpatrick and what a nail biter it proved to be with Avers winning an impressive match 11-9 in the fifth. These two have played two excellent matches in recent times with Matt getting up 11-9 in the third in a recent junior comp meeting.
In the other early five set match Fishers Leslie Ncube was looking to cause an upset win when he took a two games to one lead over Gavin Carmichael, however it was not to be with Carmichael steadying to win in the fifth in a match with many long rallies.
Ncube possesses an excellent defence and many times looked out of the point only to keep the ball in play.
Weightmans were able to get out to a 5-2 lead however Fishers fought back to 4-5 before Weightmans were able to steady. In an even team effort Matt Avers, Kate Carmichael and Gavin Carmichael won two singles each while for Fishers skipper Wayne Carmichael was in control winning his three singles.
– Mallee Bearings 6 (Rick McMeekin, Jackson Tung 2, Michael Hogarth 1) d Max Miller Carpets 5(Matt Ljubic 3, Mark Dorman 1)
Mallee Bearings tasted success against Max Miller Carpets winning 6-5 in a topsy turvy match on centre court. Mallee Bearings took an early 2-0 lead with Michael Hogarth defeating Kevin Johns in four sets in the first match 15-13 11-9 2-11 11-9. Hogarth possesses deft touch and manoeuvres the ball around the table to set up the point. The next match featured one of the upsets of the round when Jackson Tung downed Carpeters skipper Mark Dorman in straight sets 11-9 11-8 12-10. Tung has been showing consistent form this season and his performance at the recent Victorian Country Championships was his best in that competition.
Immediately after that upset the Carpeters rebounded winning four of the next five rubbers and the first of these was another huge upset when 
Carpeters number two Matt Ljubic defeated opposing number one Rick McMeekin 8-11 11-7 11-7 11-8. Ljubic is having an excellent season and he has now defeated three number one players in what is a break out season for the fast improving seventeen year old. He went on to win three singles in an outstanding night for him personally and in addition he along with Mark Dorman won the first doubles in straight sets over McMeekin and Michael Hogarth.
Despite Ljubic winning his three singles Mallee Bearings were able to steadily work their way back and at five all Jackson Tung won his second singles of the night defeating Kevin Johns in four sets to get his team the four points and retain their two game break in third position.
– Exposed Signage/Apparel 6 (Joel Thomas 3, Ed Hung 1) d Tankard Dental 5 (Jackson Murphy, Mark Ljubic 2, Nicholas Dorman 1)
Fourth placed Exposed Signage/Apparel moved two wins clear of fifth with a 6-5 victory over Tankard Dental despite Tankards going to a 2-0 lead early. Skipper Joel Thomas continues on his winning way with another three singles as well as partnering team mates Ed Hung and Leon Brown to two victories in the doubles. The remaining rubber to collect the four points was won by Ed Hung when he defeated Nicholas Dorman 5-11 11-5 12-10 7-11 11-9.
For Tankard Dental Jackson Murphy displayed his best form for the season winning two singles as did skipper Mark Ljubic. Murphy in his first match defeated Ed Hung 12-10 11-3 9-11 11-5 in a great display and reward for his Monday night training. Later in the final match he accounted for Leon Brown in a lengthy five setter 11-9 9-11 11-5 9-11 11-7. Unfortunately for Murphy it was the inability of his team to win a doubles which in the end cost them the points.
PENNANT TWO:
Second placed Tankard Dental continued their strong recent form, this week bagging the scalp of ladder leaders, Fishers IGA. Third and fourth placed teams played, with the win going to Weightmans Packaging, also hitting form. Mallee Meats and MJM Automotive fifth and sixth on the ladder met; MJM Automotive taking the win, and in the battle for last spot, Bishop Builders defeated Pinnacle Packers but remain last due to a poorer percentage.
– Tankard Dental 6 (Arthur Paar, Rod Healy 2, Tony Malycha 1) d Fishers IGA 5 (John Gray 3, Seval Fuat 1)
Tankard Dental continued their strong recent form in a very close match against ladder leaders, Fishers IGA.
Each rubber in this match was fought to the bitter end, with six five setters and three four set results, neither side was conceding anything.
Tankard Dental led 3-1 and then 4-2, but Fishers hit back hard and appeared to have the match within their grasp at 5-4, only for Rod Healy to pull off a minor miracle against Seval Fuat defeating him 11-13, 11-4, 11-5, 11-8 and in the final rubber, Tony Malycha defeated Brendan Alderton in straight sets 11-4, 11-9, 13-11, keeping Alderton winless for the first time this year.
Fishers IGA captain John Gray once again took three singles wins, his third against opposing captain Arthur Paar was a five setter which gave his team the lead at 5-4. Gray, in fact, had a difficult night. His wins against Malycha and Healy had also been in five sets. After leading Malycha 11-4, 15-13, Malycha took the next two 11-9, 11-8 to take the game to the fifth – Gray was lucky to survive at 13-11. It was a similar story when Gray played Healy. Once again the Fishers captain took the first two sets, this time much easier 11-2, 11-7, but that was the sign for Healy to bring the match to life. Healy took the next two 11-7, 11-9, and Gray had to survive in the fifth set, which he did at 12-10.
So with all the Tankard Dental players proving so difficult to overcome, it was probably not surprising that Malycha and Healy should pick up wins. Malycha started well against his opposite number Seval Fuat, taking the first 11-4, but was unable to continue, Fuat taking the next three 11-5, 12-10, 11-8. Malycha did redeem himself, however with the win over Alderton in the eleventh rubber. Healy for his part, had a great night. He met Alderton in the first rubber, taking the win at 11-6 in the fifth set. After his five set loss to Gray
, Healy was ready for another scalp, and this he took when he played Fuat to level the scores at 5 all.
The doubles rubbers were shared – Gray and Fuat went down to Paar and Healy. In an interesting move, Paar partnered himself with his number three, Healy, in this game. Obviously seeing that Healy was the form player, he was proved right when they came away with the win. The second doubles was close too, Gray and Alderton getting home against Paar and Malycha 13-11 in the fifth.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 27 games to 21.
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Lee Thomas 3, Connor Lavery, Andrew Alderton 1) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Andrew Jones, Reece Kurrle 2)
Another team which is on a roll, Weightmans Packaging notched up their fourth win from their last five matches in this round.
These two teams were third (Mallee Bearings) and fourth (Weightmans Packaging) on the ladder going into this match. Mallee Bearings led Weightmans by one game, and win would have been a nice buffer for them from a team which has found form.
Mallee Bearings were to have no joy in this game though. Despite solid performances by Reece Kurrle and Andrew Jones, both of whom won two singles, the Weightmans Packaging captain Lee Thomas played a true captain’s game, winning three singles and partnering her teammates to wins in both doubles.
Thomas was at her best against Kurrle and Jones, and had to be. She defeated them both in five sets, and with those important rubbers set the scene for the win. Connor Lavery and Andrew Alderton both defeated Mallee Bearings number three Peter Edwards, so that made five rubbers with the doubles to decide the contest.
In the first doubles, featuring the number one’s and two’s, Thomas and Lavery proved too good for Kurrle and Jones, winning 19-17, 3-11, 11-6 12-10. 
The second doubles was much easier: Thomas and Alderton downing Kurrle and Edwards in three, 5, 7 and 9.
With this win, Weightmans Packaging move into third spot, on percentage now over Mallee Bearings. Worryingly for Mallee Bearings, they have won only one of their last four games, and that was against last placed Bishop Builders.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 22 games to 17.
– MJM Automotive 7 (Geoff Wright 3, Terry Martin, Geoff Peters 1) d Mallee Meats 4 (Ashley Morrison 2, Arnold Jago, Cambell McKenzie 1)
MJM Automotive captain Geoff Wright seems to have shrugged off injury problems for the time being, and in this round scored another hat-trick of singles wins, leading his team to a strong 7-4 win.
That is not to say that Wright had it all his own way, though. Mallee Meats captain Ashley Morrison led Wright two sets to one, only for Wright to storm home 11-7, 11-7 in the last two sets to take that match. And in the second round of singles, Arnold Jago led two sets to love, and Wright had to come up with something a bit different to take the last three 6, 8 and 9.
With wins in both the doubles; Wright and Geoff Peters in a close win over Morrison and Jago 8-11, 11-7, 9-11, 12-10, 11-5, and later Wright and Terry Martin in three against Morrison and Cambell McKenzie, Wright only needed either Martin or Peters to pick up a singles win to get the four premiership points. As it turned out, they both won a singles rubber – Martin defeating Arnold Jago in four, and Wright proving too unpredictable for McKenzie, Wright winning in three sets.
Despite winning here, MJM Automotive remain in sixth spot, still one game behind Mallee Meats in fifth.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 26 games to 19.
– Bishop Builders 7 (Peter Bishop 3, Jeremy Corrin 2, Josh Carmichael 1) d Pinnacle Packers 4 (Peter Midgley 2, Cole Keegan 1)
Eighth placed Bishop Builders took their second win for the season, this time against seventh placed Pinnacle Packers. Bishop Builders first victory was an upset win against then ladder leaders Mallee Bearings back in round four.
Bishop Builders never looked to be in trouble – they led 4-1 and 5-2 to keep the pressure on their opponents.
Bishop Builders captain, Peter Bishop, took three wins, and was not really extended. He dropped only one set along the way to these wins, and that in the match against opposing captain Peter Midgley.
Bishop Builders number three
Jeremy Corrin had his best night so far this season, picking up two wins. Corrin defeated Cole Keegan in straight sets in the first rubber, and Peter Fitzpatrick in five sets in the eleventh rubber.
Added to these five rubbers, and a singles win to Josh Carmichael, Bishop and Carmichael were too good in the first doubles, defeating Midgley and Keegan in straight sets.
With this win, Bishop Builders join Pinnacle Packers on two wins, but remain in bottom spot due to an inferior percentage.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 22 games to 17.
PENNANT THREE:
In this week’s games, ladder leaders Mallee Meats were defeated for just the second time this year; MJM Automotive put an end to their losing streak when they defeated Dunkley Scales; and Tankard Dental upset Weightmans Packaging, to take their second win for the year.
– Fishers IGA 6 (Kerry Wallace 3, Stefan Ljubic 1) d Mallee Meats 5 (Sam Hensgen, Quentin Clark 2, David Sergi 1)
Despite coming into this game third on the ladder, Fishers IGA are now looking to be Grand Final contenders.
A very quiet start to the season saw them win just two of their first six matches, but they turned that around in the next six, and won five. Significantly, they have played ladder leaders Mallee Meats twice in those last six games, and have beaten them both times, the only times this season Mallee Meats have been beaten.
Fishers IGA captain
Kerry Wallace continues to lead the way; this week again taking three singles wins, picking off aggregate leader Quentin Clark in just four sets, and aggregate number two and team mate Sam Hensgen in a blistering three set exhibition, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5.
With the match evenly poised at three rubbers all, Fishers IGA wrapped the game up in the next three – Stefan Ljubic took a close five setter against David Sergi, Wallace and Lachlan Prothero trounced Clark and Sergi in three sets 11-9, 11-6, 11-6, and then the Wallace – Hensgen exhibition match.
The winning margin could have been wider, too. Fishers IGA number three Lachlan Prothero pushed all the Mallee Meats players to five sets in his singles games and went down by narrow margins in each. Lachlan lost to Clark 11-9 in the fifth, to Hensgen the same margin, and 11-7 to David Sergi. A great effort from another promising junior player.
With a win here, and a loss by Dunkley Scales, Fishers IGA move to outright second spot on the ladder, one game ahead of MJM Automotive and Dunkley Scales.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 25 games to 20.
– MJM Automotive 7 (Anthony Sergi 3, John Fitzpatrick 2, Nick Shou 1) d Dunkley Scales 4 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick 2, Kim Avers 1)
After a good start to the season, winning five of their first six games, Dunkley Scales fell into a hole in the next six, winning just one. This week saw them defeated by MJM Automotive, who put an end to a three game losing streak to record their sixth win of the season.
The form player in this group to date has been Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Dunkley Scales captain. But this week everyone was upstaged by MJM Automotive number three, Anthony Sergi. 
Sergi has never really looked like winning three singles games before, although in round four he did take two. Prior to this game, he had taken just eight games for the season. However, some concerted practice with cousin David Sergi during the last week produced a dramatic result – three wins !!
First up, a finger-biting five setter against Fitzpatrick. Down two sets to love, and with match point against him in the third, Sergi held sway to take the third 13-11. He was up to it in the last two sets too, keeping Fitzpatrick at bay to take an upset win 5-11, 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 12-10. Next he met Kim Avers, and another five setter. Sergi started much better taking the first two sets 12-10, 11-8, but Avers fought back well, levelling with scores of 12-10, 16-14 in the third and fourth sets. The fifth set was close, once again Sergi held his opponent out winning it 11-9. And the game in which it was expected he would really have a contest, that is, against his opposite number Shirley Whitecross, Anthony won in three sets.
It is just as well Anthony was playing so well, because neither of his team-mates could replicate his form. John Fitzpatrick came close, with two wins – against his opposite number Kim Avers he had a great five set tussle, taking the last 11-7. With captain Mick Bacon away, Nick Shou filled-in, and helped the cause with one win.
Sergi capped off a great night with a win in the second doubles – he and Shou defeating Fitzpatrick and Whitecross in straight sets.
The result of this game sees quite a shift in the ladder: Dunkley Scales, previously second, drop to fourth, and MJM Automotive, previously fifth, jump to third.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 23 games to 18.
– Tankard Dental 6 (Michael Hensgen 3, Claire Ljubic 1) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Karly Leach, Daniel Griffiths 2, Huseyin Ismail 1)
Weightmans Packaging finally made it into fourth spot on the ladder last week, and drawn against last-placed Tankard Dental in this round, hoped to at least consolidate that position. However, losses in both doubles put paid to their chances.
Although Tankard Dental captain Michael Hensgen proved unbeatable in singles play, individually, the Weightmans Packaging trio of Karly Leach, Huseyin Ismail and Daniel Griffiths, played well. They all took singles wins, Leach and Griffiths two each and Ismail one.
Apart from Hensgen, 
only Claire Ljubic with one win added to Tankard Dental’s singles tally (although it must be said that Claire’s other two losses were both in five sets. She played well.)
So the match revolved around the doubles.
The first doubles pitted Hensgen and Ljubic against Leach and Ismail. The Weightmans duo seemed to have the game wrapped up after the first two sets, winning those 11-8, 11-4. But the Tankard Dental pair gathered their forces and came back strongly to win 11-8, 11-4, 11-1. The second doubles featuring Leach and Griffiths opposite Hensgen and fill-in Ross Douglas was just as exciting. This time, Weightmans dropped the first set, but managed to secure the second and third. The fourth was tight, with Tankard hanging on to take it 11-9. Tankard then asserted their superiority in the fifth, taking it, and the match, 11-6.
With wins in both the doubles, Tankard Dental took their second win for the year, and Weightmans Packaging, feeling frustrated, fell out of the four, back to fifth spot.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 22 games to 21.
