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ROUND 11
PENNANT ONE:
In a topsy turvy round ten of Sunraysia Table Tennis second placed Max Miller Carpets were defeated for the first time in May while Regional Taxation Services with a 9-2 victory over Weightmans Packaging recorded their first win in four rounds to take third place by percentage. Second to fifth position on the ladder is only separated by one win with five rounds to play.
– Mallee Bearings 9 (Gavin Carmichael 3, Mark Dorman, Rohan Reimers 2) d Max Miller Carpets 2 (Kate Carmichael 2)
Ladder leader Mallee Bearings continued on their winning way defeating the Carpeters 9-2 who went in to this match without their talented number two Leon Brown. The result appeared one sided, however the Bearings team were on the winning side of five five set tussles. For the Carpeters Kate Carmichael won two singles and unluckily for her she went down 9-11 in the fifth against father Gavin.
Kate’s team mate Liam Wood whose form has been outstanding of late was unlucky losing all his singles matches in five sets.
For Mallee Bearings Gavin Carmichael won three singles while Mark Dorman and Rohan Reimers won two.
– Regional Taxation Services 9 (Matt Ljubic, Thanh Nguyen 3, Shane Carmichael 1) d Weightmans Packaging 2 (Jackson Tung, Reece Kurrle 1)
Regional Taxation Services scored a big 9-2 win over Weightmans Packaging after a four round drought and have moved to third by percentage. Matt Ljubic enjoyed a successful night winning three singles and taking part in both doubles victories. It was Ljubic’s team mate Thahn Nguyen however who stole the show by winning three singles as well.
His five set defeat of Jackson Tung and straight sets win over Reece Kurrle were a highlight and played a part in his team’s big win. Nguyen has enjoyed a solid season and this is the second time he has won three singles, both against Weightmans this season
– Cookes Pools & Spas 7 (Joel Thomas 3, Lee Leeson, Russell Walder 1) d Tankard Dental 4 (Wayne Carmichael 2, Jackson Murphy, Paul Kealley 1)
Cookes Pools & Spas have advanced to second on the ladder after their 7-4 defeat of Tankard Dental who dropped to fifth as a result of the loss. Tankards held a narrow lead early however when Cookes grabbed the second doubles in four sets the scores were level. Joel Thomas then accounted for Wayne Carmichael in straight sets to win his third singles. The next match was a close affair however Cookes Lee Leeson was able to maintain a narrow lead to defeat Jackson Murphy 11-7 11-9 11-13 13-11 an important victory. Leeson’s team mate Russell Walder then accounted for Paul Kealley in a lengthy five setter to enable Cooke’s to grab the vital four points.
PENNANT TWO:
Second placed Max Miller Carpets knocked over top side Weightmans Packaging in round 10 action; Cookes Pools & Spas kept their on-again off-again season going, defeating fifth placed Pinnacle Packers; and bottom side Mallee Bearings surprised Mallee Meats to record just their third win for the season.
– Max Miller Carpets 6 (Daniel Jansen, Jeremy Corrin 2) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Quentin Clark 2, Andrew Jones, Tom Morrison 1)
Max Miller Carpets have improved steadily as this season has progressed. They won just two of their first five matches, but since then have won four of the next five, lifting them to second on the ladder.
This week they took the scalp of Weightmans Packaging, a team which had been defeated just once in the season, the last seven wins coming in a row.
Daniel Jansen continued on from where he left off last round, this week again winning three singles rubbers. He dealt with Weightmans Packaging number three Tom Morrison in just three sets, then did the same to their captain Quentin Clark, conceding just 11 points across those three sets. Andrew Jones in never one to give in without a fight, and Jansen needed the full five sets to get the win against his opposite number.
Max Miller Carpets captain Jeremy Corrin was probably a bit annoyed he did not match Jansen’s winning ways, however he won’t be too sad with the two rubbers he contributed, a four set win against Jones and Morrison.
He and Jansen proved too strong for Clark and Jones in the first doubles, winning that encounter in four sets also, making six rubbers and a winning score.
For Weightmans Packaging, Clark for just the second time this season scored less than three wins, the second time he has scored a two, and both Jones and Morrison contributed one rubber each.
And the most successful doubles combination in this pennant at present, Quentin Clark and Tom Morrison, kept their perfect score intact, defeating Corrin and John Fitzpatrick in straight sets. Clark and Morrison have played together in seven of the ten rounds to date, and have won every time.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 20 games all.
– Cookes Pools & Spas 8 (Ashley Morrison 3, Josh Arnold 2, Ryan Hensgen 1) d Pinnacle Packers 3 (Peter Midgley 2, Furqaan Ahmad 1)
Cookes Pools & Spas went to outright third on the ladder with an impressive eight rubbers to three win against fifth placed Pinnacle Packers.
Cookes Pools & Spas have been short on consistency this season, twice they have won two games in a row, only to then lose the next two in a row. This win gives them five for the season, one game clear of the fourth and fifth placed teams, which are locked on four wins.
This was a big win, an encouraging win. Following his (for him) recent run of average form, Cookes Pools & Spas captain Ashley Morrison was back to his best. In the three preceding rounds, Morrison has been held to two singles wins, but on this occasion he did what he did from rounds one to six, that is he won all his singles rubbers. He only dropped one set too, that to his opposite number Peter Midgley. He was clearly the better player in that match, Midgley only able to summon a challenge in one set, Morrison winning 11-4, 11-6, 10-12, 11-5.
Josh Arnold supported Morrison admirably, picking up two wins, for just the second time of the season. A four set win against Furqaan Ahmad in the first rubber was followed by a straight sets win against his opposite number Stefan Ljubic, who was subbing for Zac Galbraith.
And Ryan Hensgen brought home one singles win, a five set victory against Ljubic.
Winning both doubles rubbers was the icing on the cake in this win – Morrison and Arnold four set winners over Midgley and Ljubic, and later Morrison and Hensgen defeated Midgley and Adhmad, also in four sets.
That left just three rubbers to be accounted, Midgley taking two, and Ahmad one.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 26 games to 15.
– Mallee Bearings 6 (Sony Sefer 3, Marcus Cimino, David Sergi 1) d Mallee Meats 5 (Kevin Johns, Terry Martin 2)
Mallee Bearings surprised Mallee Meats with an upset win in this match.
Neither side could get a break on the other, every win to one side was matched by a win to the other. The game was determined in the final rubber, when Mallee Bearings number three David Sergi, returning from a three week break, defeated his Mallee Meats opposite number James Jarvis in four sets.
Mallee Bearings started the season strongly by winning their first two matches, but since then had failed to win again. Hence, they occupy the bottom spot on the ladder. Captain Jamie Kealley, who was absent for this match, and had Sony Sefer subbing for him, has averaged two wins per match so far this season, his number two Marcus Cimino about one and a quarter wins per match. Both those players would not be happy with that statistic.
Sefer certainly bolstered the side, he won all his singles rubbers, and one of the doubles, and with Cimino lost the first doubles in the fifth set. He started the night with a four set win against Terry Martin, then a careful three set win against James Jarvis, and finally a five set win against opposing captain Kevin Johns, a match in which they each won 47 points, Sefer getting the winning points at the right time, 3-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-13, 11-5.
Cimino and Sergi both defeated James Jarvis, and Sefer and Sergi won the second doubles rubber. Johns and Jarvis led two sets to one, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8, however the Mallee Bearings pair stepped up their respective games to take the final two sets 11-4, 11-3.
For Mallee Meats, Johns and Martin both defeated Cimino and Sergi, and took the first doubles against Sefer and Cimino, a match which was close for the first four sets, 11-8, 12-10, 8-11, 9-11. 11-2.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 22 games to 21
PENNANT THREE:
Top side Tankard Dental defeated bottom side Weightmans Packaging in this round; in defeating Mallee Meats, Regional Taxation Services rose to second on the table, displacing Mallee Meats; and Exposed Signage & Apparel retained fourth spot on the ladder, and now have a two game buffer to their opponents here, Sammy’s Slammers who remain fifth. All matches ended with an eight rubbers to three result, thus ensuring a healthy percentage boost for the victors.
– Tankard Dental 8 (Steve Pongrac, Luca Capizzoto 3, Steve Parker 1) d Weightmans Packaging 3 (Nicole Hunt, Huseyin Ismail 1)
Steve Pongrac and Luca Capizzoto helped Tankard Dental to a big win against bottom side Weightmans Packaging. They both won three singles each and kept their side three games clear at the top of the ladder.
Even though the winning margin was wide, Weightmans Packaging were certainly competitive. Six of the eleven rubbers went to five sets, and the fact that Weightmans Packaging could win only one of them was the reason the score in itself looks so lopsided.
Weightmans Packaging captain Sabrina Fitzpatrick played in four of those five setters, and probably wondered how her side could ever win, with just one win out of those four.
She led Parker two sets to one, but lost the fourth and fifth sets 11-7. Her match with Luca Capizzoto was high scoring and close, Capizzoto winning 10-12, 11-9, 11-8, 10-12, 12-10. The second doubles was the high point, Fitzpatrick and Nicole Hunt duked it out with Capizzoto and Steve Parker to win 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 5-11, 11-9. And in the final round of singles, Sabrina could be forgiven for running out of puff. She led Pongrac to sets to love 12-10, 11-4, only for Pongrac to take the last three 6, 9 and 5.
Together with Pongrac and Capizzoto winning three singles, Steve Parker took one, and Parker and Capizzoto the first doubles in four sets against Fitzpatrick and Huseyin Ismael.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 26 games to 20.
– Regional Taxation Services 8 (Shaun Gifford 3, Gayle Cottrell 2, Rodney Galvin 1) d Mallee Meats 3 (Michael Smyth 2, Nick Kiapekos 1)
These two teams came into the game with five wins apiece, Mallee Meats with the better percentage, second on the ladder, Regional Taxation Services third.
Regional Taxation Services were dominant everywhere – captain Shaun Gifford won his three singles, and all in straight sets; number two Gayle Cottrell, subbing for Leo Parker won two, also in three sets; and number three Rodney Galvin defeated his opposite number Hamish Smyth in the final rubber in three sets.
And when it came to the doubles, Regional Taxation Services did it almost as easily. Gifford and Cottrell, having not played together before, took the first set to get to know each other’s game, before going on to win 5-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5. Gifford paired with Galvin in the second doubles, and once again the Regional Taxation Services pair lost the first set before winning 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-3.
Mallee Meats had won their three previous matches, but were kept very quiet in this game. Captain Michael Smyth won two rubbers, number two Nick Kiapekos one, and that was it.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 27 games to 11.
– Exposed Signage/Apparel 8 (Levi Williams 3, Riley Clemence, Steve Parker 2) d Sammy’s Slammers 3 (Marita Grace 2)
Exposed Signage & Apparel are doing all they can to ensure they play in the finals this season, this week defeating the team immediately below them, Sammy’s Slammers. Exposed Signage & Apparel now have five wins for the season, and Sammy’s Slammers three. Exposed Signage & Apparel remain in fourth spot, although equal on wins with Mallee Meats.
Exposed Signage & Apparel cleaned up in singles play, winning seven of the nine rubbers on offer. Captain Levi Williams led the way with three wins, punctuated by a controlled win against opposing captain Marita Grace in four sets 11-7, 12-14, 11-9, 11-5. And his two team-mates Steve Parker (subbing for Dave Tanner) and Riley Clemence won two each – Parker doing double duty (playing for this team, and his own, Tankard Dental), and Clemence showing good form. Riley firstly defeated his opposite number in straight sets, then a four set win against Sammy’s Slammers number two Nhat Dat 12-14, 11-8, 11-8, 11-3, and finally, although losing, showed he was very competitive in his match with Sammy’s Slammers captain Marita Grace. Clemence ripped through the first set 11-2, narrowly lost the second 11-13, then succumbed to the greater experience of Grace 11-8, 11-6 in the final two sets. A great showing from a number three in his first year of competition.
A fairly dismal night for Sammy’s Slammers then, Marita Grace won two singles rubbers, and Grace and Dat the first doubles in straight sets against Williams and Parker.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 25 games to 12
PENNANT FOUR:
Top team Weightmans Packaging enjoyed a healthy eight rubbers to three win over third placed Dunkley Scales; and second placed Tankard Dental proved too strong for bottom side Mallee Meats.
– Weightmans Packaging 8 (Glenn Leeson, Chelsey Avers 3, Cetty Bonaccorso 1) d Dunkley Scales 3 (Ildi Healy, Katrina Clifford 1)
Dunkley Scales captain Costa Skiadas has not played since round seven when he was injured, and such was the healthy lead that Skiadas enjoyed on the individual aggregate at that time, it has taken until this round for him to be overtaken by other players.
Both Maria Starikov (Tankard Dental) and Glenn Leeson (Weightmans Packaging) moved past Costa this round, Starikov finishing the round with a total of 21 wins for the season, Leeson 19, and Skiadas still on 18.
Not only did Leeson score the maximum singles wins this round, so did his number two Chelsea Avers. Leeson finished the night in style, a five set fight, and win, against Ildi Healy. Leeson won the first two sets 11-5, 11-6, Healy hit back in the third and fourth 11-9, 14-12, only for Leeson to steady in the fifth to win 11-7. Avers, too, was taken to five sets by Ildi, Avers taking the win 11-3, 7-11, 6-11, 15-13, 12-10 in a close contest. Weightmans Packaging number three Cetty Bonaccorso took a singles too, to give the victors seven of the nine singles rubbers on offer.
For Dunkley Scales, only Healy and Katrina Clifford scored singles wins, and Healy and Derek Hung won a good five set doubles rubber 11-7, 11-9, 7-11, 9-11, 11-3.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 27 games to 18.
– Tankard Dental 7 (Maria Starikov 3, Liam Nicolaou 2, Curtis Crabtree 1) d Mallee Meats 4 (Wendy Simpson 2, Tom Gilmour 1)
Tankard Dental number two Maria Starikov took three singles wins in this match, and in so doing rose to the top of the singles aggregate. Maria is the only player in this grade who has played every round to date, and with the constant competition her game has improved out of sight, and it is a fitting reward that she is currently at the top of the table.
Starikov had a struggle on her hands against Mallee Meats captain Wendy Simpson, but prevailed to win in five, after being two sets to one down.
Tankard Dental captain Liam Nicolaou kept the wins coming, contributing two, a straight sets win against Yuvraj Gill, and a five set win against Tom Gilmour, subbing for Keith Sharman. And number three Curtis Crabtree finished the night on a high, defeating Gill in the final rubber in four sets.
The doubles rubbers were shared, Nicolaou and Crabtree winning the second encounter against Simpson and Gill in five, whilst earlier Simpson and Gilmour took a straight sets win against the Tankard Dental pair of Nicolaou and Starikov.
Mallee Meats won only three other rubbers – Simpson defeated Nicolaou in four; and Crabtree in three, and Gilmour a straight sets win over Crabtree. Gilmour was a chance in his match against Nicolaou, as he led 11-9, 11-3, lost the close third set 11-13, then lost momentum, and conceded the final two sets 5 and 7.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 21 games to 20.
