Terip's Cindy Hayes, Rebecca Lyttle, Frances Lawrence and Phoebe Macdermid faced off against Euroa in the Euroa and District Ladies Winter Association grand final.
Photo by
Rhonda Carpenter
The winners of the Euroa and District Ladies winter Association monday competition have been crowned with perennial contender Terip once again coming out on top.
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The week prior under cloudy skies on Monday, September 2, Mansfield faced top side Terip in their semi-final clash, while Benalla and Euroa went head-to-head, with both matches being played in Mansfield.
The fans of all sides would witness two tightly contested matches in a thoroughly enjoyable morning of ladies' tennis.
Benalla’s Kate Campbell, Maureen Jewell, Claire Sharp and Helen Checucti went down fighting against Euroa.
Photo by
Rhonda Carpenter
Terip 4/42 Mansfield 2/30
Terip's Cindy Hayes, Rebecca Lyttle, Frances Lawrence and Phoebe Macdermid began with a burst, winning the opening sets eight to two and eight to four against the hosts.
While being heavy underdogs, Mansfield would fight the good fight, winning the next pair of matches with powerful ball-striking and clever court craft on display.
Mansfield’s Keira McDonagh, Peta Kelly, Michelle Pigdon and Clare Beecham got close to knocking off league leaders Terip.
Photo by
Rhonda Carpenter
With two sets to go, only four games separated the teams.
Terip would show its class in the final sets, winning eight to two and eight to six, to book a spot in the grand final next week with a 4/42 to 2/30 victory.
Euroa's Faye Mollison, Lyndall Bigland, Chris Ellis and Julie Harrington will face off against Terip in the grand final
Euroa 4/43 Benalla 2/36
Euroa's Faye Mollison, Lyndall Bigland, Chris Ellis and Julie Harrington jumped out of the blocks against Benalla in their semi-final, winning both opening sets, keen to make a statement with power hitting and precise placement.
Benalla's Kate Campbell, Maureen Jewell, Claire Sharp and Helen Checucti then fought back hard to take two of the following three sets.
Peta Kelly backhands, Clare Beecham serves at Mansfield Tennis Club on Monday, September 9.
Photo by
Trinity Knight
Campbell and Jewell won their set in a tiebreak, while Sharp and Checucti were unlucky to lose in a tiebreak.
The longest match of the day needed a third tiebreak to decide a winner, with Euroa's Bigland and Ellis emerging as the winners.
After a fantastic match, Euroa booked a spot in the grand final with a 4/43 to 2/36 win.
Terip 4/45 Euroa 2/35
And so it was a top of the table clash to decide the crown on the windswept courts on Monday morning.
Terip once again took the crown on Monday morning.
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Contributed
The fans who braved the chilly conditions were thoroughly entertained by the skills of Terips Cindy Hayes, Rebecca Lyttle, Frances Lawrence and Phoebe Macdermid and Euroa’s Faye Mollison, Lyndall Bigland, Chris Ellis and Julie Harrington.
Terip had won the flag for the past six years, and Euroa were looking to knock them off the top perch on their home courts at the Euroa Lawn Tennis Club.
Euroa came close to a premiership on home courts against Terip.
Despite their underdog status, the home side made the most of the familiar conditions to have the game tied on set after four sets, with Terip having a six-game advantage.
Terip though showed their class to crush Euroa’s premiership dreams and won both sets, including one in a nail biting tiebreak to take the victory.
Afterwards, the conclusion of the finals, players and supporters alike retreated to warmer conditions inside the clubhouse to toast the day and celebrate a surprise birthday.
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