In the pennant division, Karramomus came painstakingly close to registering an upset win over third-ranked Old Students, but was ultimately ousted 5-40 to 4-37 in a David versus Goliath thriller.
Jake Sprunt's and Aaron Plant’s 6-3 dismissal of Guy Duncan and Shane Harrington in the opening tie had Students on the front foot, but the Bloods soon drew one back in the following rubber.
With the rest of the day's play following the same cat and mouse trend, all eyes were on the final rubber where either side could have gone on to claim the four points.
However, it was the Students’ pairing of Sam Wieland and Kara Shields that kept a cool nerve to overcome the Bloods’ duo of Adrian Orloff and Romney Cresswell 6-4 and keep Karramomus at the foot of the table.
It wasn’t such a close affair at St Brendan's, where the hosts were blown off the court by a resolute Shepparton North.
Following a winless start to the afternoon, the Saints came closest to nicking a set in the seventh rubber when Steven O’Connor and Georgie Michel exerted stubborn resolve to wrestle five games away from Northerners pair Dale Baldi and Georgie Moore — but were unable to find a win.
In the end it was a day for the visitors, who cleaned up the remaining rubbers to see out the match as 9-54 to 0-19 victors.
And it was a similar story at McEwen Reserve, where Central Park was sent packing after falling against a complete Opal outfit.
Tim Comer, Justin Hunter and Kerry Walker were instrumental for Opal, each playing a part in three of their side's eight winning rubbers, while Janelle Pottenger's and Andrea Graham’s 6-5 triumph against Lynette Gibbs and Heather Thompson served as Central Park’s only form of respite during the 8-53 to 1-20 dismantling.
Meanwhile in the lower divisions, Shepparton North Gold and Red tasted defeat against St Andrew's and Karramomus respectively, while Bunbartha and Murchison recorded wins against Undera White and Central Park.
Undera Maroon was shown no mercy as it was taken to the cleaners by Old Students 9-54 to 0-13, while McEwen Reserve Green claimed bagging rights over McEwen Reserve Blue in a local derby.
