by Gordon Armstrong

FLAGSTAFF Hill Freighters produced an excellent effort to make the women’s National Tennis League final at Melbourne Park on Australia Day, losing to Kooyong four rubbers to nil.

The Freighters won both their pool games on day one to qualify for the final against the other unbeaten side Kooyong.

Flagstaff lost two of its matches in the final on tiebreaks and didn’t play the last two matches as the overall result had been decided.

The Freighters beat Victorian team Grace Park 4-2 in a pool match after Grace Park had lost to fellow Victorian team Kooyong on games.

Freighters spokesman Ross Kauschke said it was a fabulous effort by the side.

“It really was an extraordinary effort to make the final,” he said.

“Kooyong is regarded as the biggest club in Australia and for a little club like ours to make the final and go close was just a great result. We were the only non-Victorian side to make either the men or women’s final and we’re thrilled. The girls were a bit disappointed with the final but overall it was a great effort.”

The Flagstaff team was Ashley Keir, Olivia Lukaszewicz, Emily Webley-Smith, Kimberley Ruxton and Chloe Hule. Jim Chaousis was coach.

Rostrevor Raiders and Somerton Park Sharks won one game each in their pool games against Western Austrlaian sides, while Trinity Gardens also won a game in its pool match on the first day.

The NTL was in its first season and may expand in the coming season to include more teams.