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PENNANT ONE:
Two thrillers and a hard-fought win by ladder leaders Mallee Bearings 7-4 over bottom team Weightmans Packaging were the feature of round thirteen matches of the Sunraysia Table Tennis pennant.
– Max Miller Carpets 6 (Kate Carmichael, Leon Brown, Liam Wood 2) d Cookes Pools & Spas 5 (Joel Thomas 3)
Third to fifth on the ladder are now level with a 6-7 win loss ratio, this came about with fifth placed Max Miller Carpets defeating third placed Cookes Pools & Spas 6-5 in a nailbiter. Amazingly in the past two rounds the Carpeters had led 5-3 late in each match only to lose.
This time they trailed four games to five and when Cookes Lee Leeson raced through the first two games 11-6 11-2 against Leon Brown it appeared Cookes were in the box seat. In a big turnaround Brown made an excellent recovery to win the match in five sets and level the scores at five rubbers all.
Liam Wood for the Carpeters then proved too steady for his more experienced opponent Russell Walder winning in four sets and allowing his team to stay in the finals race with two rounds to play after the school holiday break.
– Regional Taxation Services 6 (Matt Ljubic 3, Thanh Nguyen 2, Shane Carmichael 1) d Tankard Dental 5 (Wayne Carmichael 2, Jackson Murphy 1)
In another close result Tankard Dental took a 5-3 lead over second placed Regional Taxation Services courtesy of winning both doubles however they could not trouble the scorers in the last block of singles , with the score board reading five rubbers all RTS number three Shane Carmichael recovered from a two game to love deficit to defeat Paul Kealley 10-12 6-11 11-4 11-9 11-9 and secure the four points and also enabling his team to open up a two game break over third place on the ladder.
– Mallee Bearings 7 (Gavin Carmichael, Mark Dorman, Rohan Reimers 2) d Weightmans Packaging 4 (Jackson Tung, Reece Kurrle, Ed Hung 1)
Ladder leader Mallee Bearings had their hands full against Weightman’s Packaging but were able to hang on and win 7-4. The Bearings trio of Gavin Carmichael, Mark Dorman and Rohan Reimers all won two singles and it was number three Reimers who was the difference as in the first match of the night he defeated opposing number two Reece Kurrle in four sets. In his second singles the fast improving Reimers then accounted for Weightman’s number one Jackson Tung who took a two love lead only for Reimers to fight back and win 9-11 7-11 11-7 11-7 11-6 an excellent recovery.
To cap off a successful night Reimers teamed up with Mark Dorman to win the second doubles in four sets against Jackson Tung and Ed Hung.
PENNANT TWO:
Ladder leaders Weightmans Packaging took a last match win against fourth placed Pinnacle Packers; and Max Miller Carpets and Mallee Meats took big wins against Mallee Bearings and Cookes Pools & Spas.
– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Quentin Clark 3, Andrew Jones, Tom Morrison 1) d Pinnacle Packers 5 (Peter Midgley, Sony Sefer 2)
These two sides traded wins throughout this match, with the outcome decided by the number three’s for each side.
Weightmans Packaging captain Quentin Clark was instrumental in getting his side across the line, as he had three singles wins and was in both doubles rubbers, winning one. In those singles rubbers, Clark easily defeated Furqaan Ahmad and opposing captain Peter Midgley, defeating both in three sets, but had to battle Sony Sefer, a battle he won after five sets. His doubles win was with Tom Morrison, the pair taking their ninth win from ten matches. Quentin’s haul of three singles wins moves him to within two games of aggregate leader Ashley Morrison (who scored just one win this round), with two rounds to go.
Andrew Jones and Morrison won one singles rubber each, both defeating Ahmad.
Pinnacle Packers were served well by Midgley and Sefer, both these players winning two singles rubbers (both defeating Jones and Morrison), and together they took the first doubles in three sets against Clark and Jones.
This is the narrowest winning margin Weightmans Packaging have had all season, and the loss sees Pinnacle Packers drop back to fifth, but still equal on wins with teams in third and fourth.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 18 games all.
– Max Miller Carpets 9 (Daniel Jansen 3, Jeremy Corrin, John Fitzpatrick 2) d Mallee Bearings 2 (Jamie Kealley 2)
Second placed Max Miller Carpets had an easy win against bottom side Mallee Bearings, dropping just two rubbers along the way.
Mallee Bearings captain Jamie Kealley was the only point of opposition to the Max Miller Carpets trio of Jeremy Corrin, Daniel Jansen and John Fitzpatrick. Kealley won two singles rubbers, against Fitzpatrick in straight sets, and a tough five set win against Corrin, 5-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7, 13-11.
The rest of the scoresheet was all in favour of the Max Miller Carpets squad. Daniel Jansen had a night out, as he won his three singles rubbers (all in four sets), and with Corrin a very entertaining five set win against Kealley and Marcus Cimino. The Max Miller Carpets pair won the first two sets, but let their guard down to lose the next two, and had to grind it out in the fifth to win it 12-10, 11-8, 8-11, 5-11, 12-10.
Corrin and Fitzpatrick both defeated Cimino and David Sergi, to give their side seven of the nine singles rubbers, and with both the doubles rubbers also going to them, the final score ballooned out to nine rubbers to two.
The second doubles, like the first, went to five sets, however this one see-sawed back and forth, Corrin and Fitzpatrick taking sets one, three and five, Kealley and Sergi sets two and four.
Final scores: 9 rubbers to 2 and 29 games to 15.
– Mallee Meats 10 (Kevin Johns, Terry Martin 3, James Jarvis 2) d Cookes Pools & Spas 1 (Ashley Morrison 1)
Mallee Meats recorded their biggest win of the year, a thumping ten rubbers to one win against third placed Cookes Pools & Spas.
By virtue of this defeat, Cookes Pools & Spas tumble down to fifth on the ladder, and with Pinnacle Packers their nearest rival for a spot in the finals, have to win at least eight more rubbers than Pinnacle Packers in the next two rounds to secure fourth.
Both Kevin Johns and Terry Martin (returning from injury) won three singles rubbers each, Johns firstly a close three set win against Josh Arnold 11-7, 12-10, 11-8, then a four set win against Ryan Hensgen who refused to go away 11-4, 9-11, 11-5, 14-12, and finally a confidence inspiring win against Morrison 11-8, 7-11, 11-7, 11-4. For his part, Martin was rejuvenated after his week on the sidelines with a suspect knee. He finished with a flourish against Hensgen 11-5, 11-7, 6-11, 11-2, played one of his best matches of the season to defeat Ashley Morrison in five 11-8, 11-9, 8-11, 11-13, 11-9, and with the win well and truly in the bag, kept his cool to get his third win against Josh Arnold 11-8, 5-11, 13-11, 16-14. James Jarvis had his best night of the season with two wins too – a good five set win against Josh Arnold 8-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 11-7 was followed by a straight sets win over a dispirited Ryan Hensgen 14-12, 12-10, 11-2.
Final scores: 10 rubbers to 1 and 30 games to 12
PENNANT THREE:
Tankard Dental had an easy win against bottom side Sammy’s Slammers this round; whilst Regional Taxation Services and Mallee Meats had to work a little harder.
– Tankard Dental 8 (Luca Capizzoto 3, Steve Pongrac 2, Dianne Hannig 1) d Sammy’s Slammers 3 (Marita Grace 2, Nhat Dat 1)
Tankard Dental comfortably dealt with Sammy’s Slammers in this round.
Led once again by Luca Capizzoto, Tankard Dental were never in trouble and had the game sewn up with three rubbers to go.
For the eleventh time this season, Capizzoto came away with the perfect singles score. Only the Sammy’s Slammers captain Marita Grace could get a set from Capizzoto before he took an almost inevitable win 11-5, 6-11, 11-8, 12-10.
With Tankard Dental captain Steve Pongrac grabbing two wins, and Dianne Hannig one, Tankard Dental had the required number of wins in singles play, without taking into account victories in the two doubles. They too, were over in four sets, Pongrac and Capizzoto defeating Marita Grace and Nhat Dat 11-9, 11-7, 3-11, 11-9 and in the second doubles Capizzoto and Hannig after losing the first set to Marita and Koby Grace 9-11, took the next three 9, 9 and 7.
Marita Grace won two rubbers for Sammy’s Slammers, in three sets against Hannig, and the same result against Pongrac. Their final rubber came from Nhat Dat, who also defeated Hannig. Number three Koby Grace, although not winning any of his matches, showed his competitive spirit, taking Steve Pongrac to four sets before going down 6-11, 2-11, 15-13, 5-11.
Final scores: 8 rubbers to 3 and 24 games to 13.
– Regional Taxation Services 6 (Shaun Gifford 3, Rodney Galvin 2, Leo Parker 1) d Exposed Signage/Apparel 5 (Levi Williams 2, Nicole Hunt 1)
This was the third meeting of these two sides for the season, and both sides had defeated the other once. It was fitting then, that the result of this match was determined in the final rubber.
Regional Taxation Services dominated the singles rubbers, winning six of the nine on offer. But that was all they won, as Exposed Signage &
Apparel, with Levi Williams at the wheel, took both doubles rubbers to set the match up for a showdown in rubber number eleven.
Regional Taxation Services took the first two rubbers, Exposed Signage & Apparel the next two, then each win by one side was matched by the other.
Rodney Galvin got Regional Taxation Services off to a good start with a stirring five set win against Nicole Hunt. Galvin went on to record his third two game haul for the season after he later downed Riley Clemence in the final rubber to give the win to his side.
In between these two wins, his captain Shaun Gifford once again won three singles rubbers, all in straight sets, and Leo Parker after starting the season with a bag of wins, had another quiet evening, with just win, against Clemence in five.
Exposed Signage & Apparel won three singles and both doubles to accumulate their five rubbers – Riley Clemence came closest of the team to making it four singles rubbers, but he lost to Leo Parker in five sets 3-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-8, 3-11.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 20 games each.
– Mallee Meats 6 (Michael Smyth 2, Nick Kiapekos, Hamish Smyth 1) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Nicole Hunt 2, Karly Leach 1)
Mallee Meats got home in this match against Weightmans Packaging by virtue of wins in both doubles.
The all-ladies team of Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Karly Leach and Nicole Hunt won five of the nine singles rubbers, but the Mallee Meats doubles pairings spoiled any chance of wins when it came to the pairs events.
Firstly, Michael Smyth and Nick Kiapekos took little time to defeat Fitzpatrick and Leach in the first doubles 11-9, 11-5, 11-5, and later when Michael and Hamish Smyth paired up, they proved too strong for Leach and Hunt, winning that encounter 15-13, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8.
Mallee Meats captain Michael Smyth won two singles, in three sets against Karly Leach, and after being two sets to love down against Fitzpatrick, fought back to win that match in five.
Nick Kiapekos and Hamish Smyth took a win each – Kiapekos lost the first set to Hunt 7-11, before taking the next three 1, 9 and 6, and Hamish was down two sets to love against Leach 4-11, 5-11, but gathered himself up to win the last 11-9, 11-7, 12-10.
Fitzpatrick defeated Kiapekos and Hamish Smyth, Hunt downed Michael Smyth and Hamish Smyth, and Leach defeated Kiapekos.
A very close match, and one in which all players must have felt that at least one win got away, as they all took at least one win, and came close to another.
Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 24 games to 21
PENNANT FOUR:
First placed Weightmans Packaging defeated second placed Dunkley Scales, and third placed Tankard Dental was too good for Mallee Meats.
– Weightmans Packaging 7 (Glenn Leeson 3, Chelsey Avers 2) d Dunkley Scales 4 (Ildi Healy 2, Derek Hung, Katrina Clifford 1)
Weightmans Packaging’s domination of this pennant continued this round, defeating the side closest to them seven rubbers to four.
Captain Glenn Leeson turned everything he touched to gold – three singles wins and wins in both doubles rubbers. His singles wins all came in three sets, the doubles in four. He and Chelsey Avers had stern opposition when they played Ildi Healy and Katrina Clifford, but they were just too good, winning 12-10, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5. Leeson and Gary Leach dropped the first set of the second doubles rubber to Healy and Derek Hung 8-11, but recovered to take the next three 3, 6 and 8.
Chelsey Avers was a good back-up to Leeson, chiming in with two wins, in three sets against Clifford and four against Hung.
The Dunkley Scales trio all got amongst the wins – Ildi Healy took two wins, a straight sets victory over Gary Leach was followed by a fighting five set win against Avers 11-8, 8-11, 8-11, 14-12, 11-4. Katrina Clifford defeated Leach in three sets, and Hung similarly downed Leach in four.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 24 games to 15.
– Tankard Dental 8 (Liam Nicolaou 3, Maria Starikov 2, Curtis Crabtree 1) d Mallee Meats 3 (Wendy Simpson 2, Tom Gilmour 1)
Third placed Tankard Dental easily accounted for bottom side Mallee Meats.
Mallee Meats won four of the first seven rubbers to give themselves a chance in this match, but Tankard Dental took the game right away from them in the final four rubbers, winning them all.
Mallee Meats captain Wendy Simpson won two of those early rubbers, and her number two Tom Gilmour one. The pair also got off to a good start in the first doubles, winning the first two sets easily 11-4, 11-6, only to succumb in the next two sets8-11, 9-11 to Liam Nicolaou and Maria Starikov, who kept the pressure on, however Simpson and Gilmour regrouped in the fifth to take it 13-11.
Tankard Dental saved their best for last, Maria Starikov took an early win against Jenny Leach and in the final round of singles gave her opponent Tom Gilmour a two set start 9-11, 9-11 before she set about reeling him
in to win the final three 11-2, 11-6, 11-3; Liam Nicolaou had a good night in singles play, being “best on ground” with three wins – against Tom Gilmour a gritty four set win 11-9, 11-8, 13-15, 11-8, in three sets against Jenny leach , and the same when he played Wendy Simpson. Curtis Crabtree rounded out the wins for Tankard Dental with his win against Leach in the final rubber. The second doubles fell to Tankard Dental, Nicolaou and Crabtree edging Simpson and Leach 11-9, 11-8, 11-13, 11-9.
Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 23 games to 16.
For further information on Table Tennis contact Gavin Carmichael 0408 237 907.
