ST MICHAEL’S needed to win their final regular pennant match in the Central Wimmera Tennis Association on Saturday to achieve something they didn’t in last season’s premiership-winning campaign – record a perfect season with no losses.
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With their top two players Steffi and Jess McDonald out of Saturday’s clash against Haven, this was always going to be a closer contest.
Haven must have sensed they had an opportunity to hand St Michael’s their first loss for the season, and they delivered when it mattered most.
Led by captain Sophie De Wit, Haven out-muscled their opponents to record a memorable win.
De Wit took out Kassie Peachey 9-6 in her singles set, while she also won two doubles sets for the day.
She teamed up with Kirby Knight to defeat Peachey and Naomi McConville 9-4, before accounting for Simone O'Brien and Peachey 9-7 alongside Genevieve Bush.
St Michael’s’ women’s side were exposed for the first time this season, with it clear the McDonald sisters are integral to the side’s success.
Top male seed Ian Nitschke held his own for St Michael’s, winning his singles set 9-3 against Lachlan Punchard.
However, Haven had the better of St Michael’s throughout the day, claiming the victory against the ladder leaders nine sets and 113 games to five sets and 91 games.
St Michael’s finish the season on top with an outstanding win-loss record of 15-1, while Haven finish in third with a record of 10-6. Haven will be full of confidence heading into finals after knocking off the previously undefeated side.
Elsewhere, Horsham Lawn also caused an upset to register their fourth win of the campaign. Lawn defeated finals-bound Kalkee by 10 sets and 109 games to four sets and 88 games.
Big-serving Graeme Wood had a hand in three set wins for Lawn, including a 9-6 singles win against Kalkee’s Steve Schultz.
Meanwhile, it was a special day at Natimuk for Drung South father and daughter duo John Burford and Kate-Lyn Perkin, who took to the court together for a doubles set for the first time.
With Perkin playing as a men’s seed, the two lined up in the doubles and came away with a thumping 9-0 win against Natimuk’s Zach Smith and Henry Mackley. Perkin also defeated Smith 9-3 in a singles set.
Drung South ended Natimuk’s tough season with another big loss, taking 12 sets and 117 games to Natimuk’s two sets and 64 games.
Drung South will head into finals as the second-placed side in the competition.