LADDER leaders Regional Taxation Services were the big winners in round twelve action of Sunraysia Table Tennis 2025 Winter Pennant.
Their 7-4 win over second placed Mallee Bearings has enabled them to open up a 12-point break at the top of the ladder confirming they will hold the double chance leading into the finals in four rounds time.
RTS skipper Matt Ljubic was the man of the match winning three singles including straight sets win over Arhuang Lau who returned this week after missing last round for health reasons.
Lau played well but still appeared to be hampered however Ljubic is really hitting his straps now.
After Lau and teammate Mark Dorman won the first doubles in four sets over Ljubic and Thanh Nguyen followed by Lau defeating Nguyen in straight sets Mallee Bearings took a 3-2 lead however from this point RTS grabbed the initiative winning the next four games to grab the four points going to a lead of 6-3.
Included in these wins was an excellent four set win by RTS Jamie Kealley over the experienced Mark Dorman 9-11 11-6 12-10 11-9, a top-class struggle and a great win by the talented youngster.
After RT S pair Ljubic and Kealley won the second doubles Ljubic disposed of Lau and the battle for the four points was over.
In an even team display Matt Ljubic, Jamie Kealley and Thahn Nguyen won three, two and one singles to go to flag favouritism, this being their fifth win in as many rounds.
Third placed Weightmans Packaging, with both Shannon Bowen and Reece Kurrle in great form winning three singles each, moved to within one win of second place by methodically defeating fourth placed Cookes Pools & Spas 7-4.
Cookes started well when number two Paul Kealley defeated Lee Leeson in the first match however Weightmans stamped their authority on the match when they won the next four rubbers, this included two singles wins to Bowen and one to Kurrle when he defeated opposing number one Jackson Tung in an entertaining four setter with some excellent power play, the final score 18-16, 8-11, 11-3, 13-11.
Bowen and Kurrle then accounted for Tung and Kealley in straight sets to take a strong hold on the match.
Cookes skipper Tung slowed the decline by defeating Lee Leeson in a three set singles and then combined with teammate Russell Walder to defeat Bowen and Leeson however this was only delaying the inevitable with Bowen and Kurrle winning their third singles each in the following two matches.
Bowen and Kurrle are in excellent form and with this win have moved to third on the ladder and cannot be discounted.
In the battle of fifth and sixth with their 7-4 win over Choices Flooring Mildura, Tankard Dental have moved off the bottom of the ladder and have given themselves a mathematical chance of grabbing fourth spot with four rounds to play.
Victory came for Tankard’s despite Choices skipper Wayne Carmichael again winning three singles, he now has won 31 matches in thirty-three played.
In this round he needed to recover from a one game to two against Kate Carmichael before winning 6-11 11-8 7-11 11-4 11-5 a strong finish.
For the victors, Tankard Dental this was a good win by taking both the doubles while Kate Carmichael and Rohan Reimers won two singles each and number three Ed Hung winning one.
Round 12 results
PENNANT ONE – Weightmans Packaging 7 (Shannon Bowen, Reece Kurrle 3) d Cookes Pools & Spas 4 (Jackson Tung, Paul Kealley, Russell Walder 1); Tankard Dental 7 (Kate Carmichael, Rohan Reimers 2, Ed Hung 1) d Choices Flooring Mildura 4 (Wayne Carmichael 3, Liam Wood 1); Regional Taxation Services 7 (Matt Ljubic 3, Jamie Kealley 2, Thanh Nguyen 1) d Mallee Bearings 4 (Arhuang (Wong) Lau 2, Mark Dorman 1)
PENNANT TWO – Weightmans Packaging 6 (John Fitzpatrick, Duy Truong, Therese Fitzpatrick 2) d Mallee Meats 5 (Jason Gifkins 3); Choices Flooring Mildura 6 (Quentin Clark, Terry Martin 2, Andrew Jones 1) d Pinnacle Packers 5 (Marcus Cimino 3, Peter Midgley 1)
PENNANT THREE – Exposed Signage/Apparel 8 (Karly Leach 3, Deegan Kerslake, Dave Tanner 2) d Sammy’s Slammers 3 (Michael Tan 2); Weightmans Packaging 9 (Nhat Dat, Steve Parker 3, Leo Parker 1) d Regional Taxation Services 2 (Sabrina Fitzpatrick, Sam Campbell 1)
PENNANT FOUR – Tankard Dental 6 (Leanne Wilson 3, Andrew Jeffries, Helen Wall 1) d Dunkley Scales 5 (Maria Starikov, Jenny Leach 2); Weightmans Packaging 10 (Glenn Leeson, Tom Gilmour 3, Eddy Parker 2) d Mallee Meats 1 (Nathan Beard 1)
Ladders
PENNANT 1
Regional Taxation Services 40
Mallee Bearings 28
Weightmans Packaging 24
Cookes Pools & Spas 24
Tankard Dental 16
Choices Flooring Mildura 12
PENNANT 2
Mallee Meats 28
Choices Flooring Mildura 24
Weightmans Packaging 24
Cookes Pools & Spas 12
Pinnacle Packers 08
PENNANT 3
Weightmans Packaging 40
Exposed Signage/Apparel 36
Regional Taxation Services 16
Sammy’s Slammers 04
PENNANT 4
Tankard Dental 44
Weightmans Packaging 32
Mallee Meats 12
Dunkley Scales 08
