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ROUND 6
PENNANT ONE:
Results of round six matches of the Sunraysia Table Tennis pennant featured victory by fifth and sixth on the ladder over the third and fourth teams while top team Mallee Bearings remain undefeated with a narrow victory over second placed Regional Taxation Services.
– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Jackson Tung, Reece Kurrle, Ed Hung 2) d Cookes Pools & Spas 5 (Joel Thomas 3)
Weightmans Packaging in an even team display were able to grab the four points and their first victory defeating Cookes Pools & Spas 6-5 despite Cookes Joel Thomas winning three singles and taking part in both doubles victories. For Weightmans Jackson Tung , Reece Kurrle and Ed Hung won two singles each.
The highlight match was the singles played by Hung against Cookes number two Lee Leeson , this went to five and was crucial in the final result with Hung taking the points 11-13 11-8 11-9 9-11 11-7 a match of immense concentration by both players.
– Mallee Bearings 6 (Gavin Carmichael 2, Mark Dorman, Rohan Reimers 1) d Regional Taxation Services 5 (Matt Ljubic 3, Thanh Nguyen 2)
Ladder leader Mallee Bearings maintained their undefeated run with a narrow 6-5 win over second placed Regional Taxation Services. The doubles proved vital in the victory with Mallee Bearings winning both , in particular the first was a highlight with the Bearings pair of Mark Dorman and Gavin Carmichael fighting back from a two game deficit to win 11-9 in fifth against Matt Ljubic and Thahn Nguyen.
Mallee Bearing took a 5-3 lead and RTS then fought back taking the next two singles both in five with Ljubic inflicting the first defeat for the season on Gavin Carmichael in a close tussle, while Nguyen then defeated Mark Dorman to continue his good form.
With the scores at five all Bearings number three Rohan Reimers accounted for Michael Hensgen in four sets.
– Max Miller Carpets 7 (Kate Carmichael, Leon Brown, Liam Wood 2) d Tankard Dental 4 (Wayne Carmichael 3)
Max Miller Carpets secured their second victory of the season with a 7-4 victory over Tankard Dental. The difference in this match was the form of the Carpeters number three Liam Wood who won two singles. In doing so he doubled is victories from the previous five rounds. His best win was a straight sets win over the difficult Jackson Murphy to take his team to a 5-2 lead. Later in the match after trailing two games to love Wood then accounted for Shane Carmichael in five sets.
Victory came for the Carpeters despite Wayne Carmichael winning three singles and he maintains equal third on the singles aggregate.
PENNANT TWO:
With a 7-4 win over Mallee Meats in this round, Weightmans Packaging are now two games clear at the head of the ladder; Cookes Pools & Spas defeated Mallee Bearings 7-4 and jumped two spots to second on the ladder; and Max Miller Carpets jumped from sixth to third by winning 8-3 against Pinnacle Packers.
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Quentin Clark 3, Andrew Jones 2, Tom Morrison 1) d Mallee Meats 4 (Kevin Johns 2, Terry Martin 1)
Weightmans Packaging consolidated their lead at the head of the ladder with a seven rubbers to four win against Mallee Meats.
The match was close for the first seven rubbers – Mallee Meats led at that stage four rubbers to three, but then Weightmans Packaging reeled off the last four rubbers to run away with the match.
Quentin Clark and Andrew Jones set Weightmans Packaging up for the win – Clark with three singles wins and Jones with two. Clark was made to work for his wins, he dropped a set to both Terry Martin and James Jarvis before winning both of those matches in four, and completed his night with a high scoring five set win against opposing captain Kevin Johns. Leading 11-8, 12-10, Johns looked to have the match in his grasp, but at 10 all in the third set, it all started to go downhill. Clark seized the third 12-10, outplayed Johns in the fourth 11-8, then outlasted his opponent in the fifth to take that set 16-14.
Jones played well too. He won his two which included an important five set win against his opposite number Terry Martin in the penultimate rubber, which gave his side the win on the night. He also took Mallee Meats captain Johns to five sets, losing 11-6 in the fifth.
With Tom Morrison proving too good for his opposite number James Jarvis, and Clark and Morrison victorious in the second doubles, the win was emphatic.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 23 games to 21
– Max Miller Carpets 8 (Jeremy Corrin, Daniel Jansen, John Fitzpatrick 2) d Pinnacle Packers 3 (Peter Midgley 3)
Max Miller Carpets won this match in which the only problem player for them was Pinnacle Packers captain Peter Midgley. Midgley won three singles but could not help his team mates over the line in either of the doubles. Added to that the Max Miller Carpets trio had the measure of Midgley’s teammates, denying them a win in any of the remaining singles rubbers.
Jeremy Corrin, Daniel Jansen and John Fitzpatrick therefore all won two singles rubbers; in the first doubles Corrin and Jansen were too slick for Midgley and Therese Fitzpatrick, subbing for Zac Galbraith, winning 7, 9 and 5; and in the second doubles Corrin and John Fitzpatrick accounted for Midgley and Furqaan Ahmad in four sets.
The win sees Max Miller Carpets shoot up from last on the ladder to third, while Pinnacle Packers go the other way, from second to fourth.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 27 games to 13
– Cookes Pools & Spas 7 (Ashley Morrison 3, Josh Arnold 2, Ryan Hensgen 1) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Jamie Kealley, Tague Morris, David Sergi 1)
Cookes Pools & Spas captain Ashley Morrison continues undefeated at the top of the individual aggregate table. Another three wins in this match set a firm foundation for a seven rubbers to four win against Jamie Kealley’s Mallee Bearings side, a team which after wins in the first two rounds, is subsequently finding it hard to come by wins.
Morrison continues to win his matches with the minimum of fuss, although one win this round stands out, that against fill-in Tague Morris, subbing for Marcus Cimino. Morris took a set from Morrison, and really kept Morrison honest in the other three, Morrison winning a very close contest 11-8, 11-13, 19-17, 11-9.
Josh Arnold and Ryan Hensgen backed their captain to perfection in this round, Arnold for the first time picking up two wins, and Hensgen taking his second win for the season. Arnold also showed his worth as a doubles partner, helping Morrison to a three set win against Kealley and Morrison, 7, 9 and 8.
Cookes Pools & Spas had the match won by rubber number seven, so the three wins in the remaining four rubbers were pretty much consolation wins to Mallee Bearings. Kealley and David Sergi won the second doubles in four sets in a match which could have so easily gone to five sets, Morris defeated Arnold in the second to last rubber, and Sergi defeated his opposite number Hensgen in the final rubber of the night.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 26 games to 16.
PENNANT THREE:
Tankard Dental went a game clear at the top of the ladder with a win against Mallee Meats; Exposed Signage & Apparel consigned Weightmans Packaging to the bottom of the ladder when they defeated them six rubbers to five; and Sammy’s Slammers got their second win of the season against previous ladder leaders Regional Taxation Services.
– Exposed Signage/Apparel 6 (Levi Williams 2, Dave Tanner, Riley Clemence 1) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick 3, Karly Leach 2)
After a slow start to the season, Exposed Signage & Apparel are moving up the ladder. Since round three, they have moved from bottom (sixth) to be now third, a game away from second, and two from the lead.
This match was decided in the final rubber, captain Levi Williams had to win to get his side home, and he duly did that. Throughout the night though, the momentum had shifted between the two teams, with Sabrina Fitzpatrick (3 wins) and Karly Leach (2 wins) keeping their side in the match. However, the inability of Weightmans Packaging to with either of the doubles rubbers proved fatal, Fitzpatrick and Leach going down in a thriller against Williams and Dave Tanner. They looked to have the match under control when they led 11-7, 9-11, 11-3, but Williams and Tanner came back with a vengeance to take the last two sets 11-7, 11-7. The second doubles was over fairly quickly, Williams and Riley Clemence too good for Leach and Ashton McMullan, subbing for Nicole Hunt, winning that 9, 2 and 7.
Exposed Signage & Apparel, whilst winning only four singles rubbers, Williams 2, Tanner and Clemence 1 each, claimed the win with those two doubles rubbers.
Tanner and Clemence in particular played well; Tanner in losing two rubbers, went down in five sets in each, and Clemence won the first rubber of the night, which was the clash of the two number three’s. An important match straight up, and Clemence proved superior, winning 11-8, 12-14, 11-7, 11-5.
This loss consigns Weightmans Packaging to the bottom of the ladder.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 24 games to 19
– Sammy’s Slammers 7 (Marita Grace 3, Nhat Dat 2, Koby Grace 1) d Regional Taxation Services 4 (Shaun Gifford 2, Leo Parker )
Two rounds ago Regional Taxation Services sat on top of the ladder, one match clear of the second placed team. Having not won since, they now find themselves second on the ladder, one game behind the first placed team.
This round they lost to Sammy’s Slammers, who by virtue of this win moved from the bottom of the ladder to fifth. This was a good team win by Sammy’s Slammers. Captain Marita Grace (3 wins), Nhat Dat (2 wins) and Koby Grace (1 win) all contributed to this win, and importantly defeated their respective opposite numbers.
In fact at the conclusion of the second doubles, the score was four rubbers each. Marita Grace defeated opposing captain Shaun Gifford in five sets; Nhat Dat downed Leo Parker in four (the final set was 24-22); and Koby
Grace to complete the trifecta when he downed Ashton McMullan in a good five setter, coming back from two sets to one down.
Regional Taxation Services did not have much to cheer about, although they all won something – Shaun Gifford two singles and the second doubles, Leo Parker one singles, and Ashton McMullan the second doubles with Gifford.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 26 games to 19
– Tankard Dental 8 (Luca Capizzoto 3, Steve Pongrac 2, Steve Parker 1) d Mallee Meats 3 (Michael Smyth 2, Nick Kiapekos 1)
Each round Tankard Dental are looking more and more like the flag favourites in this pennant.
This round they demolished Mallee Meats, a side which has had a couple of big wins in the last couple of rounds, and was third on the ladder going into this match.
However, Luca Capizzoto once again took all before him, recording three singles wins, all in straight sets, and helping his team to dessert, with wins with his teammates in both doubles encounters.
Capizzoto has been beaten only once in singles this season, and on that occasion his side recorded its only loss, six rubbers to five at that.
Such was their dominance in this match, only three of the eight rubbers went beyond the minimum three sets.
Capizzoto had good support from the two Steve’s, Pongrac (2 wins) and Parker (1 win).
The best rubber was the second doubles – Capizzoto and Parker had a great struggle, and eventually defeated the father and son combination of Michael and Hamish Smyth in five sets, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 12-10.
A disappointing night for Mallee Meats, considering their promising form of late, as only Michael Smyth and Nick Kiapekos could register wins, Smyth defeating the two Steve’s, but falling to the rampaging Capizzoto, and Kiapekos a win against Steve Parker in the first rubber.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 24 games to 13
PENNANT FOUR:
Teams first and second on the ladder played teams third and fourth, with the result that the two higher placed teams now have a two game advantage over their lower ranked opponents.
– Dunkley Scales 9 (Costa Skiadas 3, Katrina Clifford, Derek Hung 2) d Mallee Meats 2 (Tom Gilmour 2)
Dunkley Scales sit comfortably at the head of the Pennant Four ladder, and this week’s win sees that even more so.
Mallee Meats were unable to field any of their regular players, so it was a big ask for the fill-ins to immediately gel and form some opposition to the top side. However, they fought as best as they could, but were simply outgunned by Costa Skiadas, Katrina Clifford and Derek Hung.
Skiadas left with three wins to his name, and sits at the top of the singles aggregate table, having been beaten only once this season. Both Clifford and Hung won two of their singles rubbers (both defeated by Mallee Meats stand-in captain Tom Gilmour), and they both helped their captain to wins in the doubles rubbers.
Only Tom Gilmour could stop this irresistible force which was Dunkley Scales, taking those two singles wins, but unable to get any traction in the doubles.
Unfortunately a one-sided match, but those involved gave of their best.
Final scores: 9 rubbers to 2 and 27 games to 6.
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Glenn Leeson, Curtis Crabtree 2, Gary Leach 1) d Tankard Dental 4 (Maria Starikov 3, Andrew McMahon 1)
Weightmans Packaging easily accounted for Tankard Dental in this match, winning the contest with three rubbers to spare.
Both sides were compromised, in that they had a team member missing, Tankard Dental without their captain Liam Nicolaou, and Weightmans Packaging missing number Chelsea Avers.
In the absence of her captain Nicolaou, Maria Starikov stepped up and played magnificently, winning three singles, including a great five set win against Weightmans Packaging captain Glenn Leeson 6-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7.
Weightmans Packaging had weight of numbers though. Leeson and Curtis Crabtree (subbing for Avers) both won two singles, and number three Gary Leach one. Weightmans were also too strong in the doubles, Leeson and Crabtree getting the better of Starikov and Andrew McMahon in four sets, and Leeson and Leach comfortable winners over Starikov and Cetty, (subbing for Nicolaou).
Andrew McMahon won the remaining rubber for Tankard Dental, a very close five set win against his opposite number Gary Leach in the final rubber of the night, when the contest was well and truly decided. A credit to the players to play this match right out, McMahon winning 12-14, 11-9, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 25 games to 15.
