REGIONAL Taxation Services are the Sunraysia Table Tennis summer pennant premiers after defeating Cookes Pools & Spas 6-5 in one of the most tense finals in some time.
The teams split their fixtures during the season and both advanced to the grand final by winning semi-final thrillers 6-5 having finished outside the top two.
Due to illness, last week’s Regional Taxation Services No.3 hero Jason Gifkins was a late withdrawal, replaced by Tom Morrison.
The first two matches went as expected with RTS No.2 Thanh Nguyen defeating Ed Hung in straight sets, while Cookes’ Mark Dorman then accounted for Tom Morrison in three sets.
RTS skipper Kate Carmichael took the table against Dylan Wood, who had an upset win in the same match-up three weeks ago.
Carmichael won a close-tussle first game 12-10. The second and third game continued to be entertaining, but Carmichael was able to maintain the ascendancy and win in three sets to give RTS a 2-1 lead.
In the first doubles, the RTS pair of Carmichael and Nguyen matched against Dorman and Wood took the first game 11-7.
Their opponents grabbed the second 11-8, and the third was a nail-biter with Carmichael and Nguyen stealing the game 11-9 after trailing 7-9. They took control in the fourth, 11-3.
Returning to singles action, Cookes’ Mark Dorman defeated Nguyen after dropping the first game.
Kate Carmichael then defeated Cookes No.3 Ed Hung in three sets to enable RTS to go to a 4-2 lead, before Cookes’ Dylan Wood improved the situation for his team with a straight-sets win over Tom Morrison.
The second doubles was now important for Cookes and their experienced pair of Mark Dorman and Ed Hung, for three games in succession, kept their noses in front of Carmichael and Morrison by winning 11-9, 11-7, 13-11 in another close battle.
The match was level at four rubbers all with three singles to play, starting with captains Dorman and Carmichael.
Dorman drew Carmichael in to his chopping game with many long rallies taking place.
Dorman took the first two games 11-9 and with Cookes well placed, Carmichael knew she had to pick up the pace or the grand final could be gone.
By serving quicker and attacking more often, she was able to take control in the third and similarly in the fourth to level.
The good crowd in attendance were witnessing a great comeback and in the fifth, Carmichael took the early initiative to go on and win 9-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-4 in a stunning about-turn.
Cookes’ Dylan Wood then levelled the match again by accounting for Thanh Nguyen in impressive style, given that Nguyen is a difficult opponent with his mix of chop and attacking play. Wood took the points 11-5, 11-9, 11-5.
With the score at five rubbers all, Cookes’ Ed Hung, the hero from the semi-final a week earlier who had won all five rubbers, lined up against RTS fill-in Tom Morrison.
The first game was close with both players nervous but giving their all. Morrison was able to take this game narrowly.
In the second it was point for point until Morrison was able to go to a 2-0 lead.
The third was a sensational game as Hung sought to keep his team alive.
Morrison held two grand final points at 10-8, however Hung would not lay down and levelled the game at 10 points all.
Hung gained a game point on a couple of occasions, however with his seventh match point, Morrison won the third 18-16.
In an entertaining grand final, RTS were premiers by the barest of margins.
RESULTS
PENNANT 1: Regional Taxation Services 6 (Kate Carmichael 3, Thanh Nguyen, Tom Morrison 1) d Cookes Pools & Spas 5 (Mark Dorman 2, Dylan Wood 2).
PENNANT 2: Mallee Meats 6 (John Fitzpatrick 3, Mark Cleary, Riley Clemence 1) d Pinnacle Packers 3 (Rasin Bhuiyan 1, Ryan Peterson 1).
PENNANT 3: Mallee Meats 6 (Karly Leach 3, Curtis Crabtree, Jenny Leach 1) d Dunkley Scales 5 (Koby Grace, Hayden Wilson 2).
