By RHONDA CARPENTER
IN weather more like summer than winter, clear blue skies and glorious sunshine set the scene as teams across the district competed in their round three matches in Euroa, Benalla, and Mansfield on Monday, 13 May.
Wappan welcomed Mansfield on their home courts, with Wappan’s Anna Speirs, Jenny Bell, Rhonda Carpenter, and Carol Watts finding their range in the opening sets. Mansfield’s Michelle Pigdon, Keira McDonagh, Natalie Bergsma, and Sophie Yencken matched them with high-quality hitting.
The sets went one each way, with just one game the difference.
Wappan gained control in the next pairings as players tired under the hot sun.
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Mansfield were set a challenge, needing to win both final sets.
However, Wappan found their best form, taking both, including the shortest and the longest set of the day, which was eventually resolved in a tiebreaker.
Wappan won 5/45 to Mansfield’s 1/29, propelling them into second spot on the Euroa and District Ladies Winter Tennis Association (EDLWTA) ladder.
Euroa met Terip for their contest.
Kristen Darcy, Lyndall Bigland, Judy Sands, and Faye Mollison had all the answers against Terip’s Cindy Hayes, Frances Lawrence, Phoebe Macdermid, and Kass Thomas.
Euroa won 6/48 to 0/22 to take top spot on the ladder.
Creighton’s Creek and Delatite also enjoyed the Euroa grass courts.
Delatite’s Karyn Fraser, Carolyn Murray, Jo O’Brien, Deb Mims, and Loretta Armitage combined well in lengthy rallies, with both teams hitting low, hard balls.
Chris Ellis, Deb Seach, Sue Vaughan, and Lyn Johnson took the first three sets for Creighton’s Creek, but Delatite hit back, taking the next two.
Deb gained movement and timed the ball superbly to finish her day with an ace.
Creighton’s Creek won 4/40 to Delatite’s 2/27 for a top three finish.
Benalla hosted Seven Creeks in a hard-fought match which included two tiebreakers and two 8-6 contests going each way.
Seven Creeks’ Rowena Ellis, Nicola Enright, Gayle Furphy, and Mary Kelly had the edge against Benalla’s Claire Sharp, Maureen Jewell, Julie Brook, and Wendy Maxwell on their home turf, winning 4/45 to Benalla’s 2/35.
Round three Ladder: Euroa 26, Wappan 19, Creighton’s Creek 18, Terip 17, Moglonemby 16, Seven Creeks 11, Mansfield 7, Delatite 4, Benalla 2.
