Natimuk have leapfrogged Horsham Lawn into a finals place in A Special, with an ominous performance in the last round of the Central Wimmera Tennis Association at the weekend.
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Natimuk put together their best performance of the season when it mattered the most, defeating the favoured Central Park Blue 8-80 to 6-60. Natimuk captain Cheryl Sudholz said the side had their strongest team of the season.
"Due to harvest we haven't had our best side together all year, so this was the first time we've been able to have our strongest side in both men and women for the season," Sudholz said. "It's an exciting time of the year for that."
The women's side were particularly strong for Natimuk, with Sudholz and Danielle Fleay both winning all three of their sets, including two 8-0 victories in their singles matches.
The result sets-up an intriguing rematch between the two sides in an elimination contest in the first round of finals next week.
The win propelled Natimuk above Horsham Lawn who slipped up against eighth placed Noradjuha in the final round. While most sets were closely contested, Noradjuha kept coming out on top in the doubles ties, and secured themselves a 10-88 to 4-77 win.
Homers were also in contention for a finals place in the last round of the season, but were forced to forfeit their match against Central Park Red, giving Central Park Red the minor premiership.
In A Grade, Horsham Lawn were able to comfortably defeat Quantong to solidify fourth place and earn themselves a spot in the finals.
Haven - Lawn's opponents for next weekend - meanwhile defeated second placed St Michael's in an impressive performance.
In pennant tennis, Drung South showed the evenness of the competition with a closely contested two set victory against second-placed Horsham Lawn.
In a seesawing contest, Drung South's women's line led the way. Kate-Lyn Perkin, Romi Miller, Georgia McLennan and Alex Barnes did not drop a set for the entire day.
Lawn's Jae McGrath and Graeme Wood also won three sets apiece but it wasn't enough, as Drung South finished with the win 8-93 to 6-89 in a tight encounter.
Drung South's opponent for next week Kalkee handsomely defeated Haven 13-106 to 1-29, while St Michael's took care of business against Telangatuk East 14-112 to 0-29.
Telangatuk East will now drop back into A Special for next season after their first ever taste of pennant action this season.
In B Grade, Horsham Lawn secured a home final next week by defeating Central Park. Drung South also secured the minor premiership with a win against Natimuk.
FIXTURES FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF FINALS
Pennant:
St Michael's v Horsham Lawn, Kalkee v Drung South
A Special:
Central Park Red v Brimpaen, Central Park Blue v Natimuk
A Grade:
Central Park v St Michael's, Haven v Horsham Lawn
B Grade:
Drung South v Natimuk, Horsham Lawn v Central Park
Richard Crabtree
richard.crabtree@austcommunitymedia.com.au
richard.crabtree@austcommunitymedia.com.au
