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Sunraysia Table Tennis Winter Pennant results round 3: –
PENNANT ONE: –
– Max Miller Carpets 7 (Rick McMeekin, Shane Carmichael 2, Sony Sefer 1) d Pinnacle Packers 4 (Wayne Carmichael 3, Peter Midgley 1)
– Bishop Builders 6 (Shannon Bowen 2, Jackson Tung, Kevin Johns 1) d Fishers IGA 5 (Gavin Carmichael 3, Darren Robinson 2)
– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Mark Ljubic 3, Andrew Cannard 2) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Mark Dorman 2, Ali Taheri, Graeme O’Neill 1)
PENNANT TWO: –
– Tankard Dental 7 (Nicholas Dorman 3, Bernadette Fitzpatrick, Peter Fitzpatrick 1) d Fishers IGA 4 (Andrew Jones, Lachlan Kelly 2)
– Pinnacle Packers 10 (Seval Fuat, Matt Ljubic 3, Brian Hosking 2) d Spanline 1 (Arnold Jago 1)
PENNANT THREE: –
– Fishers IGA 6 (Cole Keegan 3, Sam Hensgen 2) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick 2, Carlos Williams, Peter Edwards 1)
– Pinnacle Packers 9 (Mick Bacon, Karly Leach 3, Quentin Clark 1) d Bishop Builders 2 (Claire Ljubic, Graham Southwell 1)
– Weightmans Packaging 8 (Glen Bell 3, Peter Mikhaeil 2, Ben Hosking 1) d Dunkley Scales 3 (Jessica Dorman 2, Leonie Dunkley 1)
Round three of the Sunraysia Table Tennis pennant one competition featured the clash of undefeated teams Max Miller Carpets up against Pinnacle Packers on centre court and it was the Carpeters who prevailed 7-4 in a match where they were able to grab an early ascendancy and were always able to control the outcome.
– Max Miller Carpets 7 (Rick McMeekin, Shane Carmichael 2, Sony Sefer 1) d Pinnacle Packers 4 (Wayne Carmichael 3, Peter Midgley 1)
The much awaited singles clash between the two skippers, Packers Wayne Carmichael and Rick McMeekin did not disappoint the interested onlookers as McMeekin stormed out of the blocks to win the first two games in a hurry, his looping top spin forehands were outstanding along with his excellent footwork. Carmichael had no answer in these first two games and had to weather the storm before he manufactured a stirring comeback to win in what was a five set classic.
This reminded spectators of some of their past clashes before McMeekin took an extended break from the game. In only his third match back into his “comeback’’ he has already shown that he will be a handful for everyone at the business end of the season. The final score line in this classic contest was 7-11 3-11 11-6 11-9 11-7 in favour of Carmichael who for the umpteenth time in his career again leads the singles aggregate.
The outstanding feature of the success of Max Miller Carpets was that they were able to win both doubles which is an unusual statistic in a match where Wayne Carmichael is in the opposition. Rick McMeekin in great touch and backed by team mates Shane Carmichael and Sony Sefer were too consistent in their doubles against tough opponents Carmichael and John Gray and Carmichael and Peter Midgley respectively.
Shane Carmichael for the victors also had a good night in singles with victories over John Gray and a tough five set result over Peter Midgley who clawed his way back after being two games to love down to force the match to a five setter.
Sony Sefer fresh from his Queensland sojourn, finished the night well with a four set win over John Gray to give the Carpeters a sound win.
On the grand stand court Weightmans Packaging took an early ascendancy over opponents Mallee Bearings to lead three one before Mallee Bearings levelled the match at four rubbers all. In an exciting finish Weightmans finished strongly and took the points 6-5 to record their first win of the season.
Five set specialist Mark Ljubic was a key player in the victory winning three singles and along the way enhanced his title of the “five set king’’ when he tasted success in two of these type of matches, one against Ali Taheri and one over Graeme O’Neill. 
Both Taheri and O’Neill had Ljubic under pressure at stages however Ljubic was able to prevail and later when he defeated opposing number one Mark Dorman 13-11 3-11 11-7 13-11 he had set his team on course for victory.
Ljubic received good support from team mate Andrew Cannard who won two singles and together they combined in the first doubles to defeat Mark Dorman and Graeme O’Neill 11-8 6-11 11-8 7-11 11-8 in what was a vital result for both teams in a tight match.
In the remaining match Bishop Builders also scored their first win when they accounted for Fishers IGA 6-5 in a match which went right down to the wire. Despite Gavin Carmichael and Darren Robinson winning three and two singles respectively it was their inability to taste success in the two doubles matches which proved costly for Fishers.
Included in Carmichael’s three wins was a five set slog against Shannon Bowen which went Carmichael’s way 8-11 12-10 12-10 8-11 11-6. This was the first time in three seasons that Carmichael was able to take the points against Bowen however it was Bowen’s ability to control the doubles which assisted Bishop Builders on their winning way.
Bowen combined with Jackson Tung in the first doubles to defeat Carmichael and Robinson 9-11 9-11 11-7 11-9 11-7 in what was a great comeback and crucial in the final result.
With the scores at five rubbers all Bishop Builders fill in Kevin Johns had is hands full with first year pennant one player Ashley Morrison and when he trailed 4-7 in the fifth 
Johns looked like he may go down, however as usual with his never say die attitude Johns was able to grab seven of the next eight points to win 11-8 in what had been an exciting five setter.
PENNANT TWO:
Tankard Dental remain undefeated at the top of the ladder after this week’s actions, but in the other match, a big upset with Pinnacle Packers, who had not registered a win thus far, thrashing Spanline.
– Pinnacle Packers 10 (Seval Fuat, Matt Ljubic 3, Brian Hosking 2) d Spanline 1 (Arnold Jago 1)
Pinnacle Packers recorded their first win of the season in style in this Round Three clash with Spanline. Having gone down 6-5 in their previous two matches, Pinnacle Packers got it all together and easily outclassed their opponents, Spanline.
Both captain Matt Ljubic and number two Seval Fuat recorded three singles wins, and Brian Hosking chipped in with two. 
The Packers took both doubles and the only match which prevented this being a complete rout, was that of Hosking v. Arnold Jago. As he should have, the Spanline captain defeated the Packers number three.
A dismal performance by Spanline, winning only one rubber and only able to amass 8 games during the course of the night. Pinnacle Packers, of course, won ten rubbers and thirty games.
– Tankard Dental 7 (Nicholas Dorman 3, Bernadette Fitzpatrick, Peter Fitzpatrick 1) d Fishers IGA 4 (Andrew Jones, Lachlan Kelly 2)
Tankard Dental remain undefeated at the top of the ladder after the third round.
Nick Dorman led the way for the victors, taking three singles wins. He was backed up by his team-mates, Bernadette and Peter Fitzpatrick both taking one, and helping themselves also to two doubles wins. Bernadette threatened to do much better though, in her singles. 
The two matches she lost, she lost in five sets, giving Andrew Jones a real big scare in that match, before Jones won 11-6, 6-11, 16-14, 5-11, 11-6. At the end of the night, she came up against Lachlan Kelly, and was a real chance for the win, leading two sets to love 11-7, 15-13. Kelly, however, was playing well and upset Bernadette’s rhythm and game to take the next three sets 11-4, 11-9, 11-4.
Both Andrew Jones and Lachlan Kelly for Fishers won two singles, but they could not keep enough pressure on their opponents. The game was always just a little out of their reach. 
David Balshaw, coming back to the game after a season or so away, had plenty of “rust” to discard and ultimately did not win a singles. He came close though, taking Peter Fitzpatrick to five sets. Coupled with that, as stated Fishers did not win either doubles, so in the end it was a fairly comfortable win to Tankard Dental, 7 rubbers to 4 and 25 games to 18.
PENNANT THREE:
Pinnacle Packers took their first win for the season with a 9-2 rubber victory over Bishop Builders; Fishers IGA took a solid 6-5 win over Mallee Bearings, and Weightmans Packaging had a convincing 8-3 win over Dunkley Scales, who are yet to record a victory this season.
– Pinnacle Packers 9 (Mick Bacon, Karly Leach 3, Quentin Clark 1) d Bishop Builders 2 (Claire Ljubic, Graham Southwell 1)
Pinnacle Packers recorded their first win in style. Captain Mick Bacon and number two Karly Leach took three singles wins, and Quentin Clark, playing his first year of competitive table tennis chipped in with a win also. The winners also took both doubles, on a night when they all played well.
Bacon was untroubled and needed only three sets to defeat Graham Southwell and Bishop Builders number three Marcus. He did however, have strong opposition from his opposing captain, Claire Ljubic. Ljubic extended Bacon, and took the match to five sets, Bacon winning the last 11-8.
Surprisingly, Karly Leach had less trouble with Claire. Karly had full control of the match winning 11-8, 11-8, 11-7. The only set she dropped in her singles was to her opposite number Graham Southwell, but she took that match 11-9, 12-14, 11-6, 11-4 in a committed display.
Quentin Clark continues to improve, and his enthusiasm allowed him to take the second set in his match with Claire Ljubic, before Ljubic won. He was rewarded late in the night with a win over his opposite number Marcus. Clark was the better player, he took the first set 11-4, begrudgingly conceding the second 12-14, then maintained his dominance taking the third and fourth 11-9, 11-4.
The only bright spots for Bishop Builders were singles wins to Claire Ljubic and Graham Southwell, both of whom defeated Quentin Clark. Although they tried, the Builders side could not take a doubles match, Ljubic and Southwell only getting one set from the in-form Bacon and Leach, losing 3-11, 11-7, 6-11, 2-11; and later on Ljubic and her number three had a more competitive match with Bacon and Clark, but still the Packers pair were too good, winning 10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 11-4.
A good win then, 9 rubbers to 2 and 28 games to 12.
– Fishers IGA 6 (Cole Keegan 3, Sam Hensgen 2) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick 2, Carlos Williams, Peter Edwards 1)
In a close contest, Fishers IGA downed Mallee Bearings 6 rubbers to 5.
Captain Cole Keegan led from the front, winning all his singles to give his team a good chance of victory. He was in fine form too, as he did not drop a set in any of them. Then, paired with Sam Hensgen, he took the first doubles in four sets against Sabrina Fitzpatrick and Carlos Williams.
Fishers’ number two Sam Hensgen contributed two singles wins, against Carlos Williams in four sets, and a close five setter against Peter Edwards. In that match, he was two sets to love up 11-9, 11-8, and seemed to have the match in his keeping, but Edwards fought back in the next two taking them 11-7, 11-6 forcing the match to a fifth set decider. In an even contest, Hensgen got the breaks, and won 11-7.
So that made six sets for Fishers. Helen Frania was absent, replaced by Gloria Jago, who, although she failed to win a singles, acquitted herself well. She had a good three set tussle with Carlos Williams, then later threatened to upset Sabrina when she took the first set in that match.
For Mallee Bearings, captain Sabrina took two wins, against Gloria Jago as already mentioned, and also against Sam Hensgen in five sets, after giving him a two set start. She was no match for her opposing captain, Cole Keegan, losing in three 3, 10 and 4.
Both Williams and Edwards took a singles victory, both against Jago, and Fitzpatrick and Edwards kept their hopes alive in the second doubles, defeating Keegan and Jago in three sets, 11-8, 12-10, 14-12.
A close match, 6 rubbers to five and 21 games to 19.
– Weightmans Packaging 8 (Glen Bell 3, Peter Mikhaeil 2, Ben Hosking 1) d Dunkley Scales 3 (Jessica Dorman 2, Leonie Dunkley 1)
Dunkley Scales recorded their third loss in this match, while Weightmans Packaging assumed the lead on the ladder as a result of this 8 rubbers to 3 win.
Weightmans captain Glen Bell took three wins, number two Peter Mikhaeil two and Ben Hosking one. Further they took both doubles to give them a handsome score of eight rubbers.
Bell was hardly troubled in his matches against Leonie Dunkley and Shirley Whitecross, winning them both in three sets and losing only 27 points in total in the process. But it was a different story when he met Jessica Dorman. Dorman was a match for Bell, sets alternating in a good five setter, before Bell took the fifth 11-9.
Mikhaeil was in good form too, he was convincing in his victories over Whitecross (3 sets) and Leonie Dunkley (4 sets), and in the match he lost, against Jessica Dorman, he was in with a big chance. He led two sets to one, 11-8, 6-11, 11-5, before Dorman settled and with solid hitting she took the last two 11-9, 11-7.
Weightmans number three Ben Hosking hasn’t found the touch he has had in previous pennants, and could only take one singles win, against Whitecross in four. He did, however, give Jessica Dorman a run for her money, losing that match in five close sets.
Weightmans were too good in the doubles, taking both in four sets.
For Dunkley Scales, Jessica Dorman took two singles (against Mikhaeil in five, and Hosking also in five), and Leonie Dunkley contributed one, against Hosking 13-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5.
For further information on Table Tennis contact Gavin Carmichael 0408 237 907 or 5023 7907.
