Hopetoun has made its way to the grand final of Dimboola & District Tennis Association after a strong win over Antwerp at Hopetoun on Saturday in the second semi-final.
Semi-final weekend saw Hopetoun produce a big showing against Antwerp and claim the first grand final spot with a clean sweep of points, 12 sets, 142 games to six sets, 102 games.
On Friday night at the Dimboola Health & Fitness Centre courts, a gallant Warrack Maroon was eliminated from the finals race when it lost a thriller to Rainbow by eight games.
Playing one man short and giving up three sets, Maroon finished level on sets but fell short when Rainbow won the night four points, nine sets, 112 games to one point, nine sets, 104 games.
Hopetoun started well in mixed doubles section, claiming the opening point when it won four of the six sets played to claim the section 44 games to 32.
Antwerp's Tim Jorgensen and Abbey Greig gave their side a good start with a 9-7 win in the opening set, but Hopetoun hit back through the middle section reeling off the next four sets to ensure the point.
Taylor Donnan and Dana Schache claimed a 9-2 victory before Tony George and Zali Brown and Nathan and Bridget Williams both won 9-3 and when Anthony Schache and Jonti George won 9-6, the mixed doubles point was safely secured.
A 9-1 win to Chris Avery and Emily Polack gave Antwerp its second set before the opening mens and ladies sets were played.
Contrasting results took place in the remaining two sections with Hopetoun dominating the mens section, while an epic battle took place in the ladies section.
Hopetoun were in dominant form in the mens section when it won five of the six sets played and claim the section 51 games to 30.
The opening three sets went the way of Hopetoun with Donnan and Mal McLean winning a tight battle 9-7 over Tim Jorgensen and Don Clark before Nathan Williams and Schache combined for a 9-2 win.
When Donnan and Tony George teamed up for a 9-4 win the home side needed just one more set to claim the point but Antwerp hit back when Chris Avery and Daniel Polack teamed for a 9-6 win.
But Hopetoun ensured its second point for the day when George and McLean combined to claim a 9-6 win before Schache and Alex Kavoor iced the section with a 9-2 win in the final set.
The ladies battled an even day with sets being shared to the final game of the day with Hopetoun's Zali Brown and Remy George opening well with a 9-3 win in the opening set.
Antwerp hit back in the second set as Kellie Laverty and Emily Polack teamed for a 9-6 win before Brown and Dana Schache claimed a 9-4 win to go up by one set.
Antwerp then levelled sets when Laverty and Faye Wilson won 9-6 before Hopetoun again took the lead when Schache and Remy George claimed an important 9-3 win.
The result of the ladies came down to the final set which Hopetoun was able to ensure with the set going to a tie-breaker to Antwerp's Polack and Wilson.
The match saw Antwerp level sets, three each, but Hopetoun claimed the point 47 games to 40.
Antwerp will now play Rainbow in the preliminary final after a titanic battle took place on Friday night.
Effectively starting the night three sets and 27 games behind due to playing one man short, Warrack Maroon hit the ground running in the opening two mixed doubles sets to claim the opening two sets.
Mitch Greenwood and Sarah Spicer combined for a 9-6 win in the opening set, before Paul Winsall and Zannie Malone claimed a 9-2 win.
But Rainbow hit back to claim their opening set when Simon Clugston and Lauren Hallam combined for a crucial 9-6 win before Seamus and Georgina O'Halloran won another vital set 9-7 to level sets at two-all.
When Allan Roberts and Colleen Petschel teamed for a 9-4 win, Rainbow had secured the point with the final set being forfeited 9-0 to give Rainbow the opening point of the night four sets, 44 games to two sets, 35 games.
Rainbow was always going to dominate the mens section with a two set advantage and when Adam Gould and Simon Clugston opened with a 9-4 win Rainbow went on to dominate the section 49 games to 15.
Warrack Maroon claimed one set when Greenwood and Paul Winsall combined for a 9-4 win but Rainbow won a crucial fifth set 9-2 when Mark Bastin and Clugston combined to give their side five of the six sets played.
Maroon's chances were always going to lie with their ladies and were not let down as they dominated the section to claim all sets on offer.
With each win in the ladies, the result was always in limbo as Spicer and Malone teamed for an opening 9-1 win before Greenwood and Julie Koschitzke won the second set 9-2.
A tight battle in the third set saw Spicer and Ellie Baxter claim a 9-7 win as Greenwood and Kellie Krahe maintained the pressure with a 9-2 win.
Another tight battle took place in the fifth set when Baxter and Malone combined for a vital 9-7 win which saw Maroon close to within one set.
And when Koschitzke and Kelly Krahe won the final set 9-0, sets were squared at nine-all but Rainbow had done enough to claim victory by eight games.
No play will take place over the long weekend which will see the preliminary final being played at the Health and Fitness Centre courts on March 18.
RESULTS
Hopetoun 5 points, 12 sets, 142 games d Antwerp 0 points, 6 sets, 102 games.
Mixed: Mal McLean, Remy George lost to Tim Jorgensen, Abbey Greig 7-9, Taylor Donnan, Dana Schache d Don Clark, Heather Jorgensen 9-2, Tony George, Zali Brown d Nathan Jorgensen, Kellie Laverty 9-3, Nathan & Bridget Williams d Daniel Polack, Faye Wilson 9-3, Anthony Schache, Jonti George d Daniel Greig, Sam Baker 9-6, Alex Kavoor, Jordan Gravestocks lost to Chris Avery, Emily Polack 1-9.
Men: T. Donnan, M. McLean d T. Jorgensen, D. Clark 9-7, N. Williams, A. Schache d C. Avery, D. Greig 9-2, T. Donnan, T. George d T. & N. Jorgensen 9-4, N. Williams. A. Kavoor lost to C. Avery, D. Polack 6-9, T. George, M. McLean d N. Jorgensen, D. Clark 9-6, A. Schache, A. Kavoor d D. Greig, D. Polack 9-2.
Ladies: Z. Brown, R. George d A. Greig, S. Baker 9-3, J. Gravestocks, B. Williams lost to K. Laverty, E. Polack 6-9, Z. Brown, D. Schache d A. Greig, H. Jorgensen 9-7, J. Gravestocks, J. George lost to K. Laverty, F. Wilson 6-9, D. Schache, R. George d J. Jorgensen, S. Baker 9-3, B. Williams, J. George lost to E. Polack, F. Wilson 8-9.
Rainbow 4 points, 9 sets, 112 games d Warrack Maroon 1 point, 9 sets, 104 games.
Mixed: Mitch Greenwood, Sarah Spicer d Adam Gould, Tracey Tregenza 9-6, Paul Winsall, Zannie Malone d Mark Bastin, Brittany Keller 9-2, Sean McKenzie, Ellie Baxter lost to Simon Clugston, Lauren Hallam 6-9, Lachie Golder, Jan Greenwood lost to Seamus & Georgina O'Halloran 7-9, Mitch Hadley, Julie Koschitzke lost to Allan Roberts, Colleen Petschel 4-9, Todd (absent) & Kelly Krahe lost to Aiden Gelligan, Sophie Thomas 0-9.
Men: M. Greenwood, S. McKenzie lost to A. Gould, S. Clugston 4-9, L. Golder, M. Hadley lost to S. O'Halloran, A. Roberts 0-9, M. Greenwood, P. Winsall d A. Gould, M. Bastin 9-4, L. Golder, T. Krahe lost to S. O'Halloran, A. Gelligen 0-9, P. Winsall, S. McKenzie lost to M. Bastin, S. Clugston 2-9, M. Hadley, T. Krahe lost to A. Roberts, A. Gelligen 0-9.
Ladies: S. Spicer, Z. Malone d B. Keller, L. Hallam 9-1, J. Grenwood, J. Koschitzke d C. Petschel, G. O'Halloran 9-2, S. Spicer, E. Baxter d B. Keller, T. Tregenza 9-7, J. Greenwood, K. Krahe d C. Petschel, S. Thomas 9-2, E. Baxter, Z. Malone d T. Tregenza, L. Hallam 9-7, J. Koschitzke, K. Krahe d G. O'Halloran, S. Thomas 9-0.
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