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Sunraysia Table Tennis Winter Pennant results round 7: –
PENNANT ONE: –
– Pinnacle Packers 6 (Wayne Carmichael 2, John Gray, Peter Midgley 1) d Bishop Builders 5 (Shannon Bowen 3, Jackson Tung 2)
– Fishers IGA 8 (Gavin Carmichael 3, Hurricane Robinson 2, Ash Morrison 1)d Weightmans Packaging 3 (Mark Ljubic 2, Andrew Cannard 1)
– Mallee Bearings 6 (Mark Dorman, Ali Taheri 2, Graeme O’Neill 1) d Max Miller Carpets 5 (Rick McMeekin 3, Shane Carmichael 1)
PENNANT TWO: –
– Tankard Dental 6 (Nick Dorman 3, Bernadette Fitzpatrick 2) d Spanline 5 (Arnold Jago 2, George Papanicolau, Geoff Wright 1)
– Pinnacle Packers 7 (Matt Ljubic, Seval Fuat 3) d Fishers IGA 4 (Andrew Jones ,Lauchlan Kelly, David Balshaw 1)
PENNANT THREE: –
– Mallee Bearings 8 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick , Michael Hensgen 3) d Weightmans Packaging 3 (Peter Kelly, Ben Hosking, Peter Mikhail 1)
– Dunkley Scales 6 (Jessica Dorman 2, Leonie Dunkley, Shirley Whitecross 1) dBishop Builders 5 (Claire Ljubic 3, Sosefa Fevaleaki 2)
– Fishers IGA 8 (Cole Keegan 3, Helen Frania 2, Sam Hensgen 1) d Pinnacle Packers 3 ( Mick Bacon 2, Karly Leach 1)
For further information on Table Tennis contact Gavin Carmichael 0408 237 907 or 5023 7907.
FISHERS IGA Rnd7 Player of the week: Shirley Whitecross.
PENNANT ONE:
The first defeat of previously undefeated Max Miller Carpets was the feature of round seven action of the Sunraysia Table Tennis winter pennant. To make the loss more significant was that the defeat was by Mallee Bearings who prior to this win were sitting at the foot of the ladder with one win way back in round one.
– Mallee Bearings 6 (Mark Dorman, Ali Taheri 2, Graeme O’Neill 1) d Max Miller Carpets 5 (Rick McMeekin 3, Shane Carmichael 1)
Both teams were at full strength going into the match on the stage court and the difference in the narrow 6-5 win by Mallee Bearings was the form of number three player Ali Taheri who is playing his first season in the STTA.
He enjoyed a successful night winning two singles and partnering skipper Mark Dorman to win the second doubles in a five set struggle against Rick McMeekin and Sony Sefer. The score line of 11-4 11-5 8-11 9-11 11-8 revealed that Taheri and Dorman were able to hang on after a good start.
Earlier Taheri had scored an important singles victory over Carpeters number two Shane Carmichael who himself has had a solid season. Taheri won this match 12-10 11-9 11-9 a tight contest all the way. Later with the score locked at five rubbers all Taheri grabbed the ascendancy early against Sony Sefer winning the first two games before Sefer gave the ladder leaders some hope when he grabbed the third game. Sefer’s comeback however wasn’t to be as Taheri confidently took the fourth.His 11-6 11-4 6-11 11-8 victory now gives Mallee Bearings hope of a spot in the four after a lean start to the season.
Despite Rick McMeekin again winning three singles and going to the lead in the singles aggregate it was Taheri who was the star of the match. These two singles victories have doubled his aggregate for the season and his form is a reward for the solid training sessions each Monday night at the Irymple Leisure Centre. Taheri received good support from Mark Dorman who won two singles and Graeme O’Neil who won one.
Mallee Bearings season is now on track while a six win one loss ratio reveals that Max Miller Carpets have enjoyed an excellent start and this hiccup could be the loss that fires them up again for their next match against second placed Pinnacle Packers.
– Pinnacle Packers 6 (Wayne Carmichael 2, John Gray, Peter Midgley 1) dBishop Builders 5 (Shannon Bowen 3, Jackson Tung 2)
Pinnacle Packers had their hands full with fifth team Bishop Builders on centre court but were able to hang on and win 6-5 despite Wayne Carmichael suffering his second singles loss for the season. 
Opposing number one Shannon Bowen celebrated his birthday with a tremendous display against the experienced Carmichael and this was a high class five set slog with the unorthodox Bowen winning 11-7 6-11 11-7 7-11 11-8. With Bowen winning three singles and team mate Jackson Tung winning two the Builders can consider themselves unlucky however the doubles are an important skill of the game and in this area the Builders did not trouble the scorers and because of this the Packers were able to secure a hard fought four points.
The first doubles was a marathon with experienced pair Wayne Carmichael and John Gray coming back from a deficit against their younger opponents Shannon Bowen and Jackson Tung to win 8-11 11-8 11-8 9-11 11-8 a top match. With the scores at five rubbers all Pinnacle Packers number three Peter Midgley defeated Arthur Paar in a keenly contested four setter to enable the Packers to join Max Miller Carpets on six victories for the season.
– Fishers IGA 8 (Gavin Carmichael 3, Hurricane Robinson 2, Ash Morrison 1) d Weightmans Packaging 3 (Mark Ljubic 2, Andrew Cannard 1)
In an even team display, Fishers IGA were able to secure third place on the ladder with an 8-3 victory over Weightmans Packaging on the grand stand court. For Fishers Gavin Carmichael, Darren Robinson and Ashley Morrison won three, two and one singles respectively. Despite the one sided score line this was not a true indication as three singles matches were decided by the barest margin over five sets and all the went the way of Fishers. Weightmans were rueing some nets and edges and felt with a little more luck they may have secured the points.
Fishers skipper Gavin Carmichael was involved in two five setters and the first against Andrew Cannard was close all the way. Carmichael took the first game however Cannard was too steady in the next two games and was playing well with his training schedule during the summer paying off. Carmichael had to battle all the way and was able to secure a narrow win 12-10 8-11 9-11 11-9 11-9. Later Carmichael came up against Weightmans skipper Mark Ljubic and this was another marathon. 
Carmichael was in control early winning the first two games comfortably however Ljubic knuckled down to grab the third and fourth and at 8-5 up in the fifth it looked like he had taken control.
Carmichael levelled the fifth at nine all with each point vital Carmichael hit the top of the net and rolled over much to Ljubic’s horror. Carmichael won the next point to take the fifth 12-10 in what had been another long winded five set struggle.
The very next match featured another 12-10 in the fifth win when Fishers IGA number two 
Darren Robinson outlasted an unlucky Andrew Cannard in a top match between these two talented players.
Weightmans considered themselves unlucky in this loss with Fishers appearing to have the luck with the edge and the edge with the nets 
leaving skipper Ljubic shaking his head and wondering which of their team had walked under the ladder at the stadium entrance!!!!
Positions on the ladder are really interesting now with both Max Miller Carpets and Pinnacle Packers level on six wins each and they line up against each other next round. 
Rick McMeekin has taken the lead in the singles aggregate from Wayne Carmichael and they will line up against each other and expect another tight one. Carmichael had to recover from a two games to love deficit last round to win in five sets.
Fishers IGA sit in third position from the remaining three teams Weightmans Packaging, Mallee Bearings and Bishop Builders who all have two wins. Next round Fishers play Bishop Builders and Weightmans Packaging take on Mallee Bearings. What a big round coming up!!
PENNANT TWO:
The two top teams, Tankard Dental and Pinnacle Packers took the honours again this week, at the expense of Spanline and Fishers IGA.
Captains of the two sides, Nicholas Dorman and Matt Ljubic continue at the head of the aggregate table – both scored another three wins this round, to see them equal at the top on 18 wins.
– Tankard Dental 6 (Nick Dorman 3, Bernadette Fitzpatrick 2) d Spanline 5 (Arnold Jago 2, George Papanicolau, Geoff Wright 1)
Spanline have won just the single match this year, and for a while in the contest looked like they would make it two. Early on they led 3-1, which became 3-3, then 4-3 to put the pressure on the ladder leaders. The Tankard duo of Nicholas Dorman and Bernadette Fitzpatrick responded, by then winning the second doubles and their remaining singles to get their team over the line.
Nick Dorman was again in fine form, winning three singles, in straight sets against opposing number three Geoff Wright, a very entertaining four setter against George Papanicolaou 13-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8, and in the rubber which secured the win for his side, he defeated opposing captain Arnold Jago in three 7, 9 and 8.
Bernadette Fitzpatrick backed-up her captain with two hard fought wins; both in five sets, against Wright and Papanicolaou. Her match with Wright was very close – the win came after five tough sets 18-16, 5-11, 11-5, 7-11, 12-10. Later, Bernadette’s second win gave her team the lead for the first time (at 5-4). In another close match, after being two sets to one down, she defeated Papanicolaou 11-9, 9-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8.
Tankard’s sixth rubber was the second doubles contest of Bernadette Fitzpatrick and Dorman over Jago and Papanicolaou. Another five setter, and one in which it seemed (after three sets), that the Spanline pair had the upper hand – at that stage they led 11-8, 10-12, 11-6. Needing the win, Dorman and Bernadette fought back in the next two 11-8, 11-6, to take the win.
Spanline’s five rubbers came from Arnold Jago (2) and Papanicolaou and Wright (1 each).
Arnold gained some measure of revenge on Bernadette, avenging last week’s three set loss, to take the win here 11-8, 12-10, 9-11, 11-7. The other three singles for Spanline came in their matches with Peter Fitzpatrick. The fifth rubber was the first doubles match-up. Jago and Wright kept the pressure on their opponents, and although down two sets to one, and trailing in the fourth 9-6, pulled the game off. They won 11-8, 3-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-7.
A very close match, Tankard Dental winning 6 rubbers to 5, and 23 games to 22.
– Pinnacle Packers 7 (Matt Ljubic, Seval Fuat 3) d Fishers IGA 4 (Andrew Jones ,Lauchlan Kelly, David Balshaw 1)
Pinnacle Packers were in control of this game throughout. They led 2-1, which became 5-1, then 5-3, and the match was decided in the first rubber of the final singles.
Both Matt Ljubic and Seval Fuat scored three singles wins, and they paired to take the first doubles in a contest in which they allowed their opponents no latitude.
Ljubic thrashed opposing captain Andrew Jones 3, 7 and 5, dropped a set to David Balshaw in winning 11-4, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3, and in his final match, although he did not drop a set, had his toughest match against Lachlan Kelly, winning 16-14, 19-17, 11-9.
Fuat was his usual careful self, dropping the third set to Kelly in an 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 12-10 win, disposing of an out-of-sorts Andrew Jones in three 4, 10 and 10, and in the last also needing four sets against David Balshaw to record a 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 win.
The doubles win for the Packers was a tight contest, and although only three sets, the Fishers pair were far from disgraced. Ljubic and Fuat won 14-12, 16-14, 11-6.
For Fishers, each player won one singles, all defeating Brian Hosking, and their fourth rubber came in the second doubles courtesy of Jones and Balshaw, when they defeated Ljubic and Hosking 13-11, 11-8, 11-8.
An easy win to the Pinnacle Packers team: 7 rubbers to 4 and 23 games to 15.
There is no change on the teams ladder, except to say that the gap between first two and the last two teams is now another game wider. On the aggregate table, positions remain the same except that Seval Fuat reclaimed his fourth spot on the ladder from Andrew Jones, a position he forfeited last week when he did not play. His strong three game haul puts him clear fourth, four spots away from the top position.
PENNANT THREE:
Joint ladder leaders Mallee Bearings and Fishers IGA both recorded big wins again this week, whilst at the other end of the table, Dunkley Scales recorded their first win of the season.
– Mallee Bearings 8 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick , Michael Hensgen 3) dWeightmans Packaging 3 (Peter Kelly, Ben Hosking, Peter Mikhail 1)
Mallee Bearings were untroubled in this match against Weightmans Packaging. Weightmans sit third on the ladder, but are now three games away from the leaders.
Sabrina Fitzpatrick once again won three singles, as did her number two Michael Hensgen. Her side also took both doubles, to accumulate eight rubbers in this win.
Fitzpatrick’s wins were relatively easy; she dropped only one set in the course of the three victories, and this to her opposing captain, Peter Kelly. Hensgen on the other hand, had to fight much harder, and against the returning Kelly and Peter Mikhaeil needed five sets to get the wins. The match against Ben Hosking was more straightforward, in three sets.
Fitzpatrick and Hensgen (winning their first doubles match of the year) took the first doubles against Kelly and Mikhaeil in four, and later Fitzpatrick and Peter Edwards played a close match against Kelly and Hosking. This was another five setter, sets alternated, and Fitzpatrick and Edwards took the first, third, and fifth to give their team the six rubbers needed for the round win.
For Weightmans, all players won one singles, and all against Peter Edwards, who was having a quiet night. Edwards and Ben Hosking had a mighty tussle, in what was the closest match of the night. Edwards has been racking up at least one win each week, having recorded nine for the year, whilst Hosking sits on four wins. Hosking was not letting this one get away though, and pursued Edwards the whole match, winning 11-9, 9-11, 15-13, 7-11, 11-9. Mikhaeil defeated Edwards in four sets, and Kelly took his match in three sets.
Final scores: Mallee Bearings 8 rubbers to Weightmans Packaging 3, and 27 games to 17.
– Fishers IGA 8 (Cole Keegan 3, Helen Frania 2, Sam Hensgen 1) d Pinnacle Packers 3 ( Mick Bacon 2, Karly Leach 1)
Fishers IGA recorded a convincing win against Pinnacle Packers, in a good all round team effort.
Cole Keegan once again took three wins, to keep him in second spot on the aggregate, and only one game behind Sabrina Fitzpatrick; Sam Hensgen took two wins, and Helen Frania helped with one.
Keegan was untroubled in his three wins, dropping only one set; this to Karly Leach. In that match, Leach took the first set 13-11, but Keegan came alive in the second blasting to an 11-3 win, and whilst Leach tried to work her way back into the match, Keegan took the last two 11-5, 11-9. Keegan had little trouble with opposing captain Mick Bacon, winning 3, 4 and 10, and also with Quentin Clark.
Sam Hensgen recorded two wins, in three sets against Clark, and probably considered himself lucky to defeat Karly Leach in four. Hensgen did not really have control of the match, but took the win nonetheless 11-9, 2-11, 11-9, 12-10.
Helen Frania’s win was against the ever-improving Quentin Clark 13-11, 12-10, 11-5.
Fishers took both doubles; Keegan and Hensgen kept the pressure on Bacon and Leach in the first match-up, not conceding a set in their 14-12, 11-6, 13-11 win. And later Keegan and Frania, after dropping the first set to Bacon and Clark 12-14, came back strongly to take the next three 9, 8 and 3.
Mick Bacon took two wins for Pinnacle Packers, in straight sets over Hensgen and Frania, conceding only 14 and 9 points respectively in those wins.
Pinnacle Packers third and final rubber came from hard-working Karly Leach. Her one win came against Helen Frania, 3 9 and 10.
Final scores: Fishers IGA 8 rubbers to Pinnacle Packers 3 and 24 games to 12.
– Dunkley Scales 6 (Jessica Dorman 2, Leonie Dunkley, Shirley Whitecross 1) d Bishop Builders 5 (Claire Ljubic 3, Sosefa Fevaleaki 2)
Dunkley Scales have been threatening to take a win for the last two weeks, and this week they did it in style, wrapping up the contest with one rubber to go.
All players contributed to the win, Jessica Dorman winning two, and Leonie Dunkley and Shirley Whitecross one each. The remaining two rubbers came in the doubles, remarkably the winners took them both very easily, and in three sets.
Dunkley Scales looked like winners all night, they led 2 rubbers to 1, then 4 rubbers to 1, which became 4 rubbers to 3, then 5-3, then 5-4, and the clincher was Leonie Dunkley’s win over Jeff Hards in the penultimate match.
Dunkley Scales captain Jessica Dorman was untroubled in her two wins; both came in three sets against Jeff Hards and Sosefa Fevaleaki. Dunkley and Whitecross similarly recorded wins against Hards, and also in the minimum three.
For Bishop Builders, the good news from this game was the return to the winners circle of Claire Ljubic. Claire stormed back to form in this match, winning three singles and all in three sets only. Backed up by Sosefa Fevaleaki, who took two wins, the Builders almost the snatched the match away from the Dunkley Scales squad, but they let themselves down badly in the doubles, not managing to even win a set in those contests.
Final scores: Dunkley Scales 6 rubbers to Bishop Builders 5 and 22 games to 15, for a well deserved win.
