Summer 2023 Fast 15’s – Rnd 9 Wrap

0 0

ROUND 9

tt-r-9-summer-2023.pdf

PENNANT ONE:

The highlight of round nine of the Sunraysia Table Tennis senior pennant matches was the defeat of ladder leader Mallee Bearings by bottom of the ladder Tankard Dental indicating how even the competition is.

– Tankard Dental 6 (Leon Brown, Rohan Reimers, Paul Kealley 2) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Wayne Carmichael 3)

Despite the loss Mallee Bearings have held on to top position by the smallest of percentage from Cookes Pools & Spas going into this week’s final round before a two-week finals’ series.

This victory by Tankard Dental 6-5 over the ladder leaders was the second time they had secured the four points against Mallee Bearings, the only team to do so. In an even team performance fill in Leon Brown, Rohan Reimers and Paul Kealley all won two singles each to secure the four points and mathematically they are still alive when they line up in the final round.

For Mallee Bearings skipper Wayne Carmichael did all he could do by winning three singles and he also participated in both doubles’ victories. In an unusual twist Bearings Reece Kurrle after not dropping a match in the last three rounds was defeated in all his singles all in three sets.

– Max Miller Carpets 6 (Arhuang Lau 3, Liam Wood 2) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Mark Dorman 2, Gavin Carmichael, Russell Walder 1)

Max Miller Carpets knocked their opponents Weightmans Packaging out of the finals race with a 6-5 win. Weightmans knowing a win would potentially secure them a finals birth ahead of their opposition took a 4-2 lead however with Arhuang Lau and Liam Wood winning three and two singles the Carpeters fought back to win the next four rubbers in succession and obtain the four points and fourth position on the ladder.

Lau is in good form and has only dropped three singles in his last twenty-one matches. If he can continue this form and receive the support of Wood who has been playing well the Carpeters could play a large role in the finals.

Wood for the second time this season defeated opposing number one Gavin Carmichael.

– Cookes Pools & Spas 7 (Kate Carmichael 3, Lee Leeson 2, Jackson Murphy 1) d Regional Taxation Services 4 (Jackson Tung 2, Leon Brown 1)

With a 7-4 win over Regional Taxation Services, Cookes Pools & Spas occupy second position on the ladder going into the final round. This was a methodical win with Kate Carmichael, Lee Leeson and Jackson Murphy winning three two and one singles respectively.

This match featured the joint singles aggregate leaders playing each other and it was Kate Carmichael who trumped Jackson Tung 15-10 15-10 to take the lead by one in the aggregate race.

For Cookes Lee Leeson played a huge role winning two singles for the first time this pennant. Her 15-12 15-8 win over Leon Brown was outstanding and in the final match she out lasted Ash Morrison in a lengthy three setter.

PENNANT TWO:

Bottom side Mallee Bearings, winless until this round, finally broke through for a win, against no less, the ladder leaders Pinnacle Packers; Weightmans Packaging extinguished any thoughts Cookes Pools & Spas might have had of making the finals by defeating them; and Mallee Meats swapped spots on the ladder with Max Miller Carpets, third and fourth being interchanged. With one round to go before the finals, the top of the ladder is incredibly tight – three teams on six wins, and separated by the barest of margins, top side Pinnacle Packers have a 55-44 win/loss, second placed Weightmans Packaging are a point behind in the win/loss stakes 54-45 and Mallee Meats one point back again 53-46. And fourth placed Max Miller Carpets, although a game back (5 wins) has the same win/loss ratio as Mallee Meats, 53-46.

– Mallee Bearings 7 (John Fitzpatrick 3, Josh Arnold 2, James Jarvis 1) d Pinnacle Packers 4 (Rasin Bhuiyan 2, Daniel Jansen 1)

Mallee Bearings have had little to cheer about this season, and facing ladder leaders in round nine after eight consecutive defeats, did not think things would change much this round either.

But to think that would be to dismiss the continued belief that the Mallee Bearings side had, that they would break through for a win. Although not too many punters would have put their hard earned cash on a win against the ladder leaders …

That, though, is exactly what happened.

With wins in the first three singles rubbers, Mallee Bearings got off to the best start possible. James Jarvis opened the scoring defeating Tom Cottrell, the two number three’s facing off at the start of play. Captain John Fitzpatrick followed up James’ win with a 15-13, 15-10 defeat of Rasin Bhuiyan, a player John was very wary of due to Bhuiyan’s spinning/slicing game. Then, in a real upset, Josh Arnold downed the aggregate leader and Pinnacle Packers captain Daniel Jansen in straight sets, 15-8, 15-12.

Pinnacle Packers got their first win in the next rubber, the first doubles. Jansen and Bhuiyan won in three sets against Fitzpatrick and Arnold, reminding them that they are the best doubles combination in this pennant, having won each time they have played together.

Fitzpatrick downed Cottrell, and then it seemed that Pinnacle Packers were back on track, Jansen easily defeated Jarvis and Bhuiyan got his first win, a three set win against Arnold who was continuing to impress.

Arnold made Bhuiyan work, but the Pinnacle Packers number two was up to task winning 17-19, 15-10, 15-13.

That brought the scores to four rubbers to three, with the second doubles to come. Doubles has not been a strong point for Mallee Bearings this season, but just when they needed it, Fitzpatrick and Jarvis picked up their third win for the season (the third in the last five rounds too) to stretch the lead back to five rubbers to three with three to play.

Daniel Jansen started strongly in the clash of the captains, taking the first set against Fitzpatrick 15-6. John, was not to be deterred, however. He went on the attack taking the second set 15-11, then dominated the third 15-7 to take the match.

That gave Mallee Bearings their first win for the season, and Josh Arnold added a little bit of icing when he took his second win for the night, defeating Tom Cottrell in two sets. Rasin Bhuiyan put an end to celebrations though, winning the final rubber against James Jarvis 15-8, 15-9.

Mallee Bearings have suffered some pretty big losses this season, 8-3, 9-2 and 11-0. And guess what, that 11-0 defeat was to the team they beat here …

Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 16 games to 9.

– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Jeremy Corrin 3, Shaun Gifford 2, Therese Fitzpatrick 1) d Cookes Pools & Spas 5 (Kevin Johns 2, Marita Grace 1)

Weightmans Packaging retained second spot on the ladder defeating a determined Cookes Pools & Spas side in this penultimate round match.

Wins in both doubles rubbers kept Cookes Pools & Spas in touch, and with three rubbers to play, the score was four rubbers all.

Weightmans Packaging therefore, did just enough to get over the line. Captain Jeremy Corrin won his three singles rubbers, 15-10, 15-9 against Luca Capizzoto, and 15-13, 15-12 against opposing captain Kevin Johns. The ever improving Marita Grace stretched Jeremy to three sets, Jeremy winning 15-7, 11-15, 15-5.

Shaun Gifford picked up two (hard-earned) wins for Weightmans – in the first rubber he took on Grace and took the narrowest of wins 16-14, 13-15, 15-13. And his second win was not much different – the rubber which

decided match was rubber number ten when Gifford took on Luca Capizzoto, and once again Gifford won by the barest of margins 15-13, 13-15, 15-12.

Number three Therese Fitzpatrick also downed Capizzoto in three sets 8-15, 15-10, 15-5 in the second round of singles to give her side the lead four rubbers to three at that stage.

Cookes Pools & Spas captain Kevin Johns came close to getting his side over the line, but his loss to Corrin in the final round of singles ensured that he was not going to be the one to do it. With Luca Capizzoto being kept winless, even a win by Marita Grace in the final rubber was not enough. Grace has improved steadily this season, and her performance here is proof of that – two three set losses (to Gifford and Corrin) then finally a win in the last rubber against Therese Fitzpatrick. Grace and her captain have proved a good doubles combination too. They won again in this match 15-6, 13-15, 16-14 against Corrin and Gifford and are equal second (third on percentage) on the doubles aggregate. In the other doubles rubber, Johns and Capizzoto got the better of Corrin and Fitzpatrick in three sets 15-4, 11-15, 15-10.

Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 14 games each.

– Mallee Meats 6 (Terry Martin, Tom Morrison 2, David Sergi 1) d Max Miller Carpets 5 (Jamie Kealley 3, Andrew Jones 1)

These two sides came into the match third and fourth on the ladder, separated by percentage only, as they have both recorded five wins to date.

Mallee Meats took the early lead with wins to Tom Morrison and Terry Martin in the first round of singles. Max Miller Carpets captain Jamie Kealley put his side on the score-board with a two set win against David Sergi.

The combination of Terry Martin and Tom Morrison is proving one of the better doubles combination in this competition, having won six of the eight times they have played together, and sitting second on the aggregate. It was no surprise then they took the first doubles in straight sets against Kealley and Peter Fitzpatrick.

Max Miller Carpets responded though in the next bracket of singles. Kealley (15-12, 15-9 against Morrison) and Andrew Jones (15-9, 15-8 against Sergi) won two of the three matches and kept their side in touch,

Terry Martin taking the other rubber for Mallee Meats to keep his side in front four rubbers to three.

Max Miller Carpets squared the match when Kealley and Jones just edged Morrison and Sergi 17-15, 16-14 in the second doubles.

Kealley got his third win for the night, 15-9, 16-14 against Martin (and, in combination with Daniel Jansen picking up just one win in his match with Mallee Bearings, assumed the lead on the individual aggregate). Jamie now leads the aggregate with 22 wins, one game clear of Jansen and Jeremy Corrin, with one round to play.

That gave the lead to Max Miller Carpets, but there were no more wins to come. The Mallee Meats pair of Morrison and Sergi won the final two rubbers, Morrison in two sets over Jones, and Sergi easily defeated Fitzpatrick in the last.

Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 12 games to 11

PENNANT THREE:

Ladder leaders Weightmans Packaging extended their lead to two games with a win over second placed Sammy’s Slammers; and bottom side Mallee Meats defeated third placed exposed Signage & Apparel, joining them on three wins for the season.

– Weightmans Packaging 6 (Karly Leach 3, Glenn Leeson, Dianne Hannig 1) d Sammy’s Slammers 5 (Nick Kiapekos, Nhat Dat 2)

Weightmans Packaging will finish the season on top of the ladder courtesy of a win against second placed Sammy’s Slammers in this round. Weightmans Packaging have a bye in the final round next week, and with a two game gap to Sammy’s Slammers will not be displaced from top spot.

This match was a close one … the match was up for grabs until the final rubber, and Dianne Hannig, after being kept winless by Sammy’s Slammers Nick Kiapekos and Nhat Dat in her previous matches, had to lift to defeat Brenden Johnson 15-10, 16-14.

Weightmans Packaging captain Karly Leach was involved in four of the six rubbers that contributed to the win – a close 15-13, 15-13 win against the dangerous Dat, a two set win against Johnson, then a most important three set win against opposing captain Nick Kiapekos 15-12, 12-15, 15-13 to put her side back in front five rubbers to four with two to play. Previous to that match, Karly and Hannig had squared the match when they won the second doubles against Dat and Johnson, a 15-13, 15-12 contest.

Along with Hannig’s heroics in the final rubber, Glenn Leeson got his side off to a good start with a win in the opening rubber, a two set win against Johnson. After that the lead see-sawed until the final rubber.

For Sammy’s Slammers, Kiapekos and Dat picked up two wins each (both defeated Leeson and Hannig), and proved a formidable combination in the first doubles, seeing off Leach and Leeson 15-10, 15-13. Had Leach and Leeson won that match they would have taken the lead in the doubles aggregate, as it turned out they are now fourth, such is the closeness of that competition.

Final scores: 6 rubbers to 5 and 12 games to 11.

– Mallee Meats 7 (Riley Clemence, Dave Tanner, Koby Grace 2) d Exposed Signage/Apparel 4 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick 3)

Exposed Signage & Apparel squandered an opportunity to take second on the ladder when they found themselves beaten up by the Mallee Meats trio of Riley Clemence, Dave Tanner and Koby Grace.

Exposed Signage & Apparel captain Sabrina Fitzpatrick did her best to lift her team, but an off night by her number two Steve Parker robbed her side of a chance of the win.

Fitzpatrick won her three singles – her first match an important three set win against opposing captain Riley Clemence. After losing the first set 5-15, Sabrina came back strongly in the next two sets 15-12, 15-8 to avenge her two set defeat at Riley’s hands in round four. She later defeated Dave Tanner 16-14, 15-10 and the improving Koby Grace 15-7, 15-8.

Mallee Meats though won the rest of the singles rubbers – captain Riley Clemence after losing to Fitzpatrick in the first round of singles was too good for Brian White, winning 15-10, 15-8, and in the penultimate rubber met stern opposition from Steve Parker, but prevailed 15-7, 16-18, 15-13. Tanner had an easier time against Parker, winning 15-9, 15-13, and a similar score against White 15-11, 15-9. Koby Grace for the second time this season won two rubbers (15-13, 15-13 over White and 5-15, 15-10, 18-16 against Steve Parker). Clemence and Tanner won the first doubles 11-15, 15-12, 15-9 to give Mallee Meats a three rubbers to one lead at that point.

The second doubles was won by Exposed Signage & Apparel – Fitzpatrick and White combining well in their first match together to down Clemence and Grace 15-5, 15-5.

Final scores: 7 rubbers to 4 and 15 games to 11.

PENNANT FOUR:

Round nine saw the two top teams, in Dunkley Scales and Tankard Dental move further ahead, with both leaving with resounding wins once again. Both of the teams they were playing against had fill-ins, but both added one win each to their corresponding teams.

– Dunkley Scales 7 (Brandt Dolic 3, Katrina Clifford 2) d Mallee Meats 4 (Maria Starikov 2, Jenny Leach 1, Cooper Woodroffe 1)

With every Rubber being decided in two Sets through the night, the first game up for these teams included Cooper ??? (filling in for Mallee Meats Selma Mayne) and he stepped up to the table with a lot of confidence to mark up a win, for Mallee Meats, against Oliver Bremner, who is improving with every week (15/7, 15/13). Dunkley Scales, Brant Dolic, with his very calm and precise game made short work of Mallee’s number one player Marie Starikov (15/5, 15/7). The next singles was pretty much the same, with Jen Leach sent packing by Dunkley’s Katrina Clifford (15/9, 15/8).

Dunkley were then on a roll and made it three wins in a row, after Kat and Brant took care of the Mallee pair of Maria and Jen in the first Double (15/8, 15/9).

Its very unusual for Maria to lose singles rubbers and she made her first mark for the night, with a very quick couple of sets win against Oliver (15/6, 15/1). For a first timer, Cooper put up a good fight against Dunkley’s Kat, but was beaten (15/8, 15/7). It was then time for Jen to give it some sort of attempt to clean up Brant, but of course, that scenario was never going to eventuate, when she was swept under the table in another win to Brant (15/3, 15/10).

Kat and Olive added the rubber which was needed for Dunkley to take victory on the night, after winning the Doubles against Maria and Cooper (15/6, 15/3).

The last bracket of Singles saw Mallee add a couple of wins to their tally, with Maria playing out a tight match with Kat and coming away with her second win (15/12, 16/14). Jen had a close first set against Oliver, but she focused in the second to bring home a win (15/13, 15/6). The final game for the night gave Brant three very convincing wins, this time versing Cooper (15/6, 15/8).

Winners – Dunkely Scales 7 to Malle Meats 4 (games 14 to 8).

– Tankard Dental 8 (Nathan Beard 3, Curtis Crabtree 2, Derek Hung 1) d Weightmans Packaging 3 (Tom Gilmour 2, Jenny Leach 1)

With Weightman’s Gary Leach away, due to illness, Jen Leach filled in for him.

With the nights games being thrown out of whack a little, due to the fill in playing in two teams, well go by the sheets wins, which is maybe not in the order of how the games ran.

Weightman’s Jen Leach came up against Tankards Derek Hung in the first Singles and it was a very tense game, with Jen, finally seizing the win after three sets (16/18, 15/4, 15/12). Tom Gilmour and Curtis Crabtree were next up and Tom grabbed an early win (15/11, 15/13). Cetty Bonaccorso put in a really top effort in trying to defeat Nathan Beard, but he finally stole the three setter (15/13, 11/15, 15/10).

Tom and Cetty started off well in the Doubles against Derek and Curtis, but were over taken in the last two sets (10/15, 15/7, 15/11).  Tom had a two sets win over Derek, which gave Weightmans another rubber and himself his second win, but unfortunately that would be their last for the night (15/13, 15/8).  The Singles, played between Tankards Nathan Beard and Jen Leach, turned out to be a three set battle, with Nathan once again showing how tricky his game is, grabbing the win (15/4, 12/15, 15/10). Curtis was too strong against Cetty, finishing the better with (15/7, 15/6).

The last Double between the pairing of Tom and Jen, up against Derek and Nathan saw some good rallies, with another win falling in favor of Tankard (7/15, 15/11, 15/10).

Nathan has a very persistent game, which usually leads to three sets, as this one did, with Tom, eventually falling to Nathan, which handed him his third win over the night (15/13, 14/16, 15/10). Cetty usually has a good chance against Derek, but this match saw Derek zoned in for a win (15/13, 15/6). Curtis and Jen were the last Rubber for the evening and it was a challenging two sets, with the final outcome seeing Curtis come away with the win (15/11, 17,15).

Winners – Tankard Dental 8 to Weightmans Packaging 3 (games 17 to 11).

About Post Author

stta

stta57@gmail.com

Happy

0 0 %

Sad

0 0 %

Excited

0 0 %

Sleepy

0 0 %

Angry

0 0 %

Surprise

0 0 %