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Round 7
PENNANT ONE:
After a successful tournament at Bendigo last week Kate Carmichael was in excellent form in round seven of the Sunraysia Table Tennis winter pennant. In Bendigo Carmichael won the Over 30’s Ladies singles ,Ladies Open doubles and the Open Mixed Doubles.
– Max Miller Carpets 7 (Kate Carmichael 3, Leon Brown, Liam Wood 1) d Regional Taxation Services 4 (Matt Ljubic, Thanh Nguyen 2)
Locally Carmichael showed her best form for the season winning three singles and taking part in both doubles victories in Max Miller Carpets 7-4 victory over second placed Regional Taxation Services. Included in her singles successes was a straight set victory over Matt Ljubic only his second loss of the season. Carmichael’s team mates Leon Brown and Liam Wood won a singles each and it was the doubles which proved to be the difference in the battle for the four points with the Carpeters grabbing both..
– Mallee Bearings 6 (Gavin Carmichael, Mark Dorman, Rohan Reimers 2) d Cookes Pools & Spas 5 (Joel Thomas 3)
Ladder leader Mallee Bearings for the second week in succession were able to prevail narrowly 6-5 over their opponents, this week it was third placed Cookes Pools & Spas. Victory came despite Cooke’s Joel Thomas winning three singles and taking part in both doubles victories. In an even team performance the Bearings trio of Gavin Carmichael, Mark Dorman and Rohan Reimers won two singles each with
Reimers defeating opposing number three Russell Walder when the scores were locked at five rubbers all.
– Tankard Dental 6 (Wayne Carmichael, Jackson Murphy 2) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Jackson Tung, Reece Kurrle 2, Ed Hung 1)
Tankard Dental retained third position on the ladder by defeating Weightmans Packaging 6-5.
The difference here was the return to form of Tankard’s number 2 Jackson Murphy who won two important five set matches. In the first he outlasted Ed Hung and later Murphy was able to defeat opposing number one Jackson Tung in a lengthy and entertaining match 11-8 13-11 6-11 6-11 11-6. Tung would later defeat Wayne Carmichael in four sets however Tankards were able to win both doubles which proved to be the winning factor.
PENNANT TWO:
Top side Weightmans Packaging easily defeated bottom side Mallee Bearings in this round; Cookes Pools & Spas hung on to their hard won second spot on the ladder, downing Max Miller Carpets; and Mallee Meats jumped two spots when they defeated Pinnacle Packers.
– Weightmans Packaging 8 (Quentin Clark 3, Andrew Jones, Tom Morrison 2) d Mallee Bearings 3 (Jamie Kealley 2)
Weightmans Packaging stretched their winning streak to five games this round, and the question must now be asked, who is going to defeat them from now til the end of the season? In those five wins there was a nine rubbers to two victory, four seven rubbers to four wins and this week, eight rubbers to three. This is a side playing well, and combining well in doubles too.
Captain Quentin Clark has played in all those winning games – he missed the first two rounds of competition, but is making up for it now!! He has been defeated only once in singles play also in those five matches, having picked up another three game haul this round.
Andrew Jones won two singles rubbers, and maintains second spot on the aggregate ladder, albeit four games behind leader Ashley Morrison. And number three Tom Morrison had his best match of the season, winning two singles also, including a solid four set win against opposite number Marcus Cimino.
Clark and Morrison comfortably won the second doubles, and in so doing now sit atop the doubles aggregate with four wins from four games played.
Mallee Bearings were soundly defeated – only captain Jamie Kealley could pick any singles rubbers, a workmanlike four set win against Andrew Jones, and what could probably be described as a lucky escape in his win over Tom Morrison.
Morrison matched Kealley throughout the match set for set, Kealley getting the better of his opponent in the fifth set to take the win 11-5, 10-12, 13-11, 6-11, 11-7.
The first doubles was the only other rubber to go the way of Mallee Bearings – Kealley and Cimino were forced to work very hard to get the better of Clark and Jones; once again it was five sets, 4-11, 13-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8.
The win cements Weightmans Packaging’s position at the head of the ladder, two games clear, and also makes Mallee Bearings task of moving up the ladder harder, as they are now a game behind fifth placed Pinnacle Packers.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 29 games to 13.
– Cookes Pools & Spas 6 (Ashley Morrison 2, Josh Arnold, then 1) d Max Miller Carpets 5 (Jeremy Corrin, Dianne Hannig 2, John Fitzpatrick 1)
Cookes Pools & Spas jumped two spots up the ladder to second last round, and found themselves playing Max Miller Carpets who had jumped three spots to third. They were two of three teams with three wins for the season, and depending on the result of the game involving that third team, Pinnacle Packers, a win here could see them outright second on the ladder. And that is exactly what happened, Cookes Pools & Spas took a narrow win over Max Miller Carpets, and Pinnacle Packers could not get going against Mallee Meats.
Cookes Pools & Spas had to rely on winning both doubles to take the win here – captain Ashley Morrison was defeated for the first time this season, and Josh Arnold and Ryan Hensgen could only pick up one win each.
All three Max Miller Carpets players troubled Morrison. John Fitzpatrick in the first round of singles, took Ash to four sets, Morrison winning a close one 12-10, 6-11, 11-9, 11-8; Daniel Jansen also took Morrison to four sets, the score here more favourable to the Cookes Pools & Spas captain. Then in the final round of singles, Max Miller Carpets captain got the better of his opposite number, breaking through for the first win by anyone this season against the ladder leader. Jeremy had to work for it though, having to come back from two sets to one down to take it 8-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 11-3.
Max Miller Carpets have been the side most consistent in doubles play this year, indeed their doubles combinations are equal first on the doubles aggregate with four wins (with two other combinations).
But that consistency deserted them in this game, Morrison and Arnold winning a close four set match against Corrin and Jansen, and later Morrison and Ryan Hensgen a comfortable four set win against Corrin and Fitzpatrick.
Probably the rubber which cost Max Miller Carpets the match was rubber number six which featured Cookes Pools & Spas number three Ryan Hensgen against Max Miller Carpets number one Jeremy Corrin. Coming into this match Hensgen had won just two singles matches for the season, and Corrin would have probably expected a win. However, that was not to be, Hensgen took the first set 12-10, before Corrin hit back 11-9 in the second and hit back harder in the third 11-1. Amazingly Hensgen’s resolve had not been broken, he took the fourth set 11-9, and in
a nail-biter, the fifth set 12-10. Hensgen had a good night, he lost to Max Miller Carpets number two Daniel Jansen in four sets, and to his opposite number John Fitzpatrick in five, going down 16-14 in the final set.
Cookes Pools & Spas’s win sees them still a game clear of the chasing pack, they have four wins and teams third fourth and fifth on the ladder have three. Max Miller Carpets are one of those three, but now find themselves jumped for third by Mallee Meats.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 24 games to 23.
– Mallee Meats 7 (Kevin Johns 3, Terry Martin 2, James Jarvis 1) d Pinnacle Packers 4 (Zac Galbraith 2, Stephan Ljubic 1)
Mallee Meats took their third for the season and such is the tightness of the competition, moved to third on the ladder. Of interest is that they have yet to win two matches in a row, somthing which every other side has done thus far.
This was a confidence boosting win – Mallee Meats dominated the singles rubbers, taking six of the nine on offer. Captain Kevin Johns won three, including two five setters, Terry Martin two, and number three James Jarvis one. Johns and Jarvis won the second doubles too, their first win as a combination for the season.
For Pinnacle Packers, the only bright light was number two Zac Galbraith. Galbraith took two good wins – he downed Jarvis in three, his opposite number Terry Martin in five, and gave opposing captain Johns a run for his money, losing 11-5 in the fifth set. He played both doubles too, with his captain Peter Midgley he was successful in defeating Johns and Martin in five sets, but in the second doubles, he along with Stefan Ljubic were no match for Johns and Jarvis. The usually consistent Midgley had a distinctly off night, unable to score a win in singles doubles play, despite being second on the aggregate ladder going into this round. Mallee Meats number three Jarvis won the last three sets in their five set match to steal the game from Midgley; Terry Martin cleaned Midgley up in straight sets, and in the final round of singles, try as he might, he could not get the better of Kevin Johns, losing a very good tussle 7-11, 11-7, 14-16, 12-10, 8-11.
With Mallee Meats rising to third on the ladder, Pinnacle Packers drop to fifth, but still with the same number of wins.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 27 games to 18
PENNANT THREE:
Tankard Dental recorded another solid win this week to remain on top of the ladder; Regional Taxation Services after two straight losses, got back to their winning ways; and Mallee Meats climbed to third with a win against Sammy’s Slammers.
– Tankard Dental 7 (Luca Capizzoto 3, Steve Pongrac 2, Steve Parker 1) d Exposed Signage/Apparel 4 (Levi Williams 2, Riley Clemence 1)
Tankard Dental notched up their sixth win of the season, and remain a game clear at the top of the ladder.
The combination of Steve Pongrac, Luca Capizzoto and Steve Parker dominated the singles rubbers, taking six of the nine contests on offer. Capizzoto continues to shine, picking up three wins again, taking his tally for the season to twenty wins from a possible twenty one. He leads the individual aggregate by two wins. Steve Pongrac won two rubbers, and Steve Parker one. Pongrac and Capizzoto paired to win the first doubles rubber, coming from two sets to love down to defeat Levi Williams and Dave Tanner.
For Exposed Signage & Apparel, Levi Williams claimed two singles rubbers, and number three Riley Clemence one. Whilst Williams was well accounted for by Capizzoto, Clemence impressed in his three singles rubbers. Although winning only one, he took a set from Pongrac and Capizzoto, and won against his opposite number Steve Parker in a very entertaining five set contest.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 24 games to 19.
– Regional Taxation Services 6 (Shaun Gifford 3, Leo Parker, Ryyan Doherty 1) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Karly Leach 2)
Regional Taxation Services have been struggling lately, and have recorded losses in their last two outings. They won this match, but it was far from impressive, getting over the line in the very last rubber against bottom side Weightmans Packaging.
Captain Shaun Gifford won his three singles (a good sign), and all in straight sets. Leo Parker recorded one win, that against his opposite number Ildi Healy, and took his two other opponents to five sets. Ryyan Doherty, subbing for Rodney Galvin, picked up a win also against Healy, and with Gifford won the second doubles.
For Weightmans Packaging, Sabrina Fitzpatrick and Karly Leach both won two singles rubbers, neither of them being successful against Shaun Gifford. Together they won the first doubles, a hard-fought five set contest against Gifford and Parker.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 24 games to 17.
– Mallee Meats 7 (Michael Smyth 3, Hamish Smyth 2, Nick Kiapekos 1) d Sammy’s Slammers 4 (Marita Grace 2, Nhat Dat 1)
Mallee Meats scored their third for the season, and so became best of the rest, in third place on the ladder.
Michael Smyth continues to impress, again winning three singles, the fourth time he has done so this season. He is second on the aggregate, two behind Luca Capizzoto.
Michael’s son Hamish won two in this match, account for his opposite number three Koby Grace and also the Sammy’s Slammers number two Nhat Dat in four sets. After dropping the first set 9-11, Hamish turned the game around, taking the next three sets 8, 5 and 5.
The father and son combination later took the second doubles against the mother and son duo of Marita and Koby Grace. After two tight sets to start the contest, the Smyth’s’ game came together for them to win 14-12, 11-13, 11-3, 11-9.
Sammy’s Slammers captain Marita Grace won two singles, Dat one, and that pair, after giving Michael Smyth and Nick Kiapekos a two set start in the first doubles, won that match in five 5-11, 9-11, 13-11, 11-7, 11-9.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 25 games to 15.
PENNANT FOUR:
Dunkley Scales is replaced at the top of the ladder by second placed Weightmans Packaging; and Tankard Dental win to stay off the bottom of the ladder, for now.
– Weightmans Packaging 8 (Glenn Leeson 3, Tom Gilmour 2, Gary Leach 1) d Dunkley Scales 3 (Nathan Beard, Derek Hung, Costa Skiadas 1)
This match promised a lot, but was derailed early on when Dunkley Scales captain Costa Skiadas hurt his knee. Up to this point, Costa had been having a great season, leading the aggregate and putting his team on top of the ladder. The teams had met twice previously this season, with the honours being shared in the wins department, in round one Weightmans Packaging won seven rubbers to four, and in round four Dunkley Scales got revenge taking that match nine rubbers to two.
Costa only got to play one rubber, the very first of the night. He had the small consolation of winning that match, against Weightmans Packaging number Tom Gilmour, subbing for Chelsea Avers. This was a hard fought match, Costa eventually winning in five sets.
After that first rubber, Dunkley Scales only won two of the remaining ten rubbers, Nathan Beard a straight sets win against Gary Leach, and in the second round of singles, Derek Hung doing likewise.
For the rest of the contest, it was all Weightmans Packaging. Glenn Leeson won three rubbers, including a high scoring five set contest against Nathan Beard. Leeson proved to be a handy doubles partner also, firstly with Tom Gilmour as they defeated Derek Hung and Nathan Beard in three sets, and later with Gary Leach, another straight sets win against Hung and Degan.
Gilmour played well for two wins – after losing to Skiadas in the first rubber, he was victorious in two four set matches, firstly against Beard, and later defeating Derek Hung. The final rubber was contributed by Gary Leach, a straight sets win against Degan in the final rubber of the night.
As a result of this match, these two sides swap position on the ladder, Weightmans Packaging going into the lead, and Dunkley Scales dropping back to second.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 26 games to 14.
– Tankard Dental 6 (Liam Nicolaou, Maria Starikov 2, Andrew McMahon 1) d Mallee Meats 5 (Wendy Simpson 3, Keith Sharman 1)
Going into this match, these two sides were third and fourth on the ladder, with two wins apiece, so this was a match to get off the bottom of the ladder by more than mere percentage.
And a great game it was too … with two rubbers to go, Mallee Meats led five rubbers to four, but a great five set win to Tankard Dental’s Maria Starikov brought her team back to square the match. Andrew McMahon finished the job after an up and down match against Jenny Leach, taking the final rubber 12-10, 11-1, 7-11, 11-1.
Mallee Meats captain Wendy Simpson had kept her side in the contest throughout the evening, picking up three singles wins. Andrew McMahon gave Simpson some stiff competition early in the night, but things got easier after that, a straight sets win against Starikov, and a walkover in the match against her opposite number Liam Nicolaou.
Keith Sharman was the other contributor for Mallee Meats, a singles win against McMahon, and with Simpson proving too strong for Nicolaou and Starikov in the first doubles, winning that in four sets.
But the night belonged to Tankard Dental, Nicolaou and Starikov each getting two wins (both defeating Sharman and Leach), and McMahon that vital win in the final rubber. Starikov came into the second doubles at late notice as Nicolaou was unable to play, and with McMahon defeated Simpson and Leach in four sets.
The result here then gives Tankard Dental three wins for the season, and puts them a game ahead of their rivals here, Mallee Meats.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 21 games to 20
For further information on Table Tennis contact Gavin Carmichael 0408 237 907.
