McEwen Reserve Red pushed Shepparton North to the very end.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Sheppaton North has defeated McEwen Reserve Red as expected in the Shepparton District Tennis Association - although the scoreline was far from anticipated.
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The Northsiders remain undefeated in the SDTA, marking its latest win the fifth on the trot, but it took until the penultimate game in the final rubber to determine itself as a round six winner.
Clark Pettigrew, Louise Dwyer and Elliot Pritchett got Shepparton North off to a strong start, taking the opening two rubbers to lead two sets to nil, but the wins would come with serious challenge from the Red, with the scores being 6-4 and 6-5.
McEwen Reserve Red then replied with two rubber wins of its in own in comprehensive fashion, winning 6-2 twice to square the sets ledger, and take a games tally lead.
The next three rubbers were won in alternating style, before the eighth of the match was claimed by Shepparton North to pinch an unassailable sets lead of five to three.
However, McEwen Reserve Red still had a chance to win overall.
Trailing by one game, if Red could win the rubber, and limit Shepparton North to four game wins or less, McEwen Reserve Red would claim a stunning upset victory despite holding less sets wins to its name.
For a period of time, the Red’s unthinkable triumph looked possible - in fact, they would go on to win the final set.
But Pritchett and Dianne Montgomery had done enough.
The Shepparton North pairing went toe-to-toe with McEwen Reserve Red, claiming the minimum amount of game wins required (five) to win 5-44 to 4-44 in the most thrilling SDTA clash seen yet this season.
McEwen Reserve Red's Murray Akers fires one over the net.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Shepparton North's Clark Pettigrew whacks an ace.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Shepparton North's Kellie Crosier narrows her focus.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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McEwen Reserve Red's Ben Ladson beams a wry smile mid-serve.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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McEwen Reserve Red's Donna Whelan motions to serve.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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McEwen Reserve Red's Greg Comer barks instructions to his partner.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Shepparton North's Louise Dwyer locks her eyes on the ball.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
McEwen Reserve Gold, contrastingly, didn’t break a sweat.
Gold recorded just one blemish against its name when it faced Murchison on Friday night, recording an 8-50 to 1-20 victory.
McEwen Reserve Gold’s win places a two-win buffer between third and fourth, compounding its club rival’s heartbreaking defeat to Shepparton North with gutting additional consequences.
Red will look to rebound with a vengeance in round seven against Murchison, while Gold will need to defeat Lemnos to maintain its position, as Lemnos return from a round six bye.
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