On the move: Rich River’s Hudson Jasper returns serve. Photos: Steve Huntley
Photo by
Steve Huntley
LBU 2 and Rich River 1 provided the theatrics in round nine of the Campaspe Tennis Association as the former notched a thrilling one-game victory.
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The division one ladder leaders came out on top against Rich River in a see-sawing encounter at Lockington, sealing an 8-78 to 5-77 win in the last rubber of the day.
LBU started strongly with Noah Condliffe and Daryl Squires both picking up the singles rubbers 6-2.
Condliffe and Grant Humbert then extended the early advantage in the first doubles set before Hudson Jasper and Steph Atkinson claimed Rich River’s first rubber of the day 8-1.
Atkinson and Darren Short (8-1) then helped Rich River reclaim the lead, one that was extended through Trina Godfrey and Debbie Angove (8-5).
But LBU struck back through Meagan Brentnall and Monica Brereton, and an 8-7 doubles win to Brentnall and Katie Condliffe helped trim the margin to four games.
Narelle Bacon and Brereton stole the lead back courtesy of an 8-2 doubles win, and a further two set wins helped LBU hold a six-game lead with two rubbers to play.
But Rich River wasn’t going down quietly, with an 8-7 win to the pairing of Jaspar and Wendy Dwyer, forcing LBU to defend a five-game advantage heading into the final set of the match.
Focused: LBU’s James Brentnall swings into action.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Steve Rawlings and Noelene Findlay who nearly pulled off the heist for Rich River, pushing the LBU duo of James Brentnall and Brereton before falling one game short in the 8-4 set win.
LBU 2 remains undefeated on top of the ladder after three rounds, but Rochester one remains hot on its tail following its 22-game win over Echuca three.
Despite a strong start for Echuca in the singles via Silas Kingma (6-2) and Josh Hunter (6-1), Rochester’s turn of form in the late doubles rubbers proved decisive.
Todd Woodfine and Brad Major notched Rochester’s first win of the day 8-2, backed up by Rachael Major and Karen Taylor to close the gap.
Michelle Winchcomb and Madeline Holt were clinical in their 8-1 doubles victory, handing the lead back to Rochester for the first time in the match.
The pairings of Winchcomb and Rachael Major (8-3) and Taylor and Holt (8-2) extended that lead further, and despite a late win to Ayla and Silas Kingma, Rochester ran away with an 8-82 to 5-60 victory.
Meanwhile, reigning premier Echuca 1 notched its second win of the year courtesy of a 35-game win over LBU 1.
Nick Bush, Roxanne Dickett, Celine Bush and Stephen Hope won all their sets for the day to help Echuca climb into third spot on the ladder.
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