25 October 2017 | Tennis SA

Round 2 of the Junior State League girl’s kicked off with Seacliff taking on the reigning champs Goodwood.  Both teams were coming off good wins in round 1, with both widely tipped to be strong chances for the flag this season.  Despite missing their number one player Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz, it would be Seacliff who would prove too strong on this occasion, winning 5 rubbers to 1 and sending a warning to the rest of the competition.   Jasmine Adams and Cydney Crumbie got the Seacliff side off to a great start in their number one doubles, with Ebony Harper and Hayley Riessen consolidating with a win to love in the second doubles.  Adams, Crumbie and Riessen then took the Seacliff tally to 5 rubbers all with singles wins.  Erica Williams was the shining light for Goodwood, with a great win in her singles.  Despite the loss, expect to see the Goodwood girl’s bounce back strongly next week.

Next was the West Lakes girl’s side hosting Peake Gardens-Riverside.  After a great first up win, West Lakes would have been feeling confident coming into their first home match of the season, with Peake Gardens-Riverside looking to bounce back after their round 1 defeat at the hands of early season favourites Seacliff.  It was Peake-Gardens who proved you can’t keep a good side down, bouncing back into the winners list with a strong display of tennis.  Peake Gardens-Riverside took out both doubles quite comfortably, showing great synergy and team work to bank the first two rubbers.  From there it was always going to be difficult for West Lakes to get back into the match.  Meeka Marshall, Hayley Waterman and Mia Tsoukalas then put the result beyond doubt, and took the Peak tally to 5 rubbers, despite Chloe Shwarz making Waterman work hard for her win.  Shania Carmichael showed good fight for the West Lakes side, winning her singles.

Hahndorf travelled out to Happy Valley to do battle in the final match of the girl’s round 2 fixture.  Hahndorf was keen to bounce back after their round 1 upset loss at the hands of West Lakes.  Happy Valley on the other hand, would have been buoyant despite a nail-biting loss to reigning premiers Goodwood.   In Round 2, it was all Hahndorf, despite a couple of close singles rubbers.  It was a tight, high-class top double, with Kara Tsharke and Annika Tobin proving too good for the Happy Valley pairing of Heidi Evans and Holly Weatherall.    Madeline Hughes and Jacqueline Smith then made it two from two for Hahndorf in the doubles with a commanding victory.  Heidi Evans then gave Happy Valley a sniff with a quality showing in the top single, beating Tscharke 9-3.  However, Hahndorf re-grouped and ended any chance Happy Valley had with Tobin, Hughes and Smith all winning their singles and finishing off a great effort all round from Hahndorf.

On the boy’s side of the draw it was Trinity who showed they can go a step further this season, and continued on their merry way with a win against Seaside.   Trinity were dominant across the board, taking out all 6 rubbers, and showing they could be a force to be reckoned with in 17/18.  Jared Waterman and Callum Gale proved too strong in the first double against Terry Karahalios and Doni Gashi.  Hendrik Grohbruegge and Luka Ilic then continued on that form winning the second double.    In the top single Waterman and Karahalios did battle in what proved one of the matches of the season going right down to the wire.  At the end of the rubber it was Waterman with his nose in front winning 9-8.  Trinity then had the quality of Gale, Grohbruegge and Ilic win the remaining singles to produce a clean sweep.

Seacliff hosted Coromandel Valley in what was a match of, arguably, the two premiership favourites.    Last year’s premiers started extremely strongly, taking out the first two doubles, and putting Seacliff on the back foot early.  In the top single, Stefan Bianchet continued his sensational start to the season by putting Seacliff back in the match with a sensational display of tennis.  It was a battle of two of the most talented youngsters in the competition, with Bianchet knocking over young gun Sean Van Rensburg.   Olley Douglas was all class, and Sam ‘The Glue’ Sanderson continued his undefeated start to the season, both winning their singles and giving Coro and unassailable lead.  Lachlan Brain (Seacliff) then went the distance with Brooklyn Burley and proved too good, crossing the finish link 9-8 in front.  At the end of the night it was the Coro juggernaut marching on, winning 4 rubbers to 2.

Tea Tree Gully consolidated their stance as the competition dark horse with a sensational win over Hahndorf.   Dale Nixon and Connor Gibson gave the Tea Tree Gully boy’s a great start in the top double, however, Tay Crawford-Sandison and Tomas Barry then squared the ledger for Hahndorf in the second double.  It was Tea Tree Gully who then flexed their muscles, with Nixon, Gibson, Lamchinniah and Haberfield all winning their singles bouts.  David Pinnear for Hahndorf made sure TTG didn’t have it all their own way, fighting his single out to the end, just going down to Gibson 8-9.  When the final siren went, it was Tea Tree Gully getting the job done 5 rubbers to 1.

In the final match of the round it was Peake Gardens-Riverside hosting Glenunga.  After both coming off disappointing round 1 losses, each side was eager to make amends in round 2.  After both doubles were completed it was tied up at 1 rubber a piece.  Cahill and Taylor took out the top double for Peake, with Cleland and Catalano returning serve in the second double for Glenunga.  From there it was Peake Gardens-Riverside who put their foot on the accelerator.   Cahill (9-0), Taylor (9-6), Hynes (9-3) and Cullum (9-3) produced a singles clean sweep for Peake, with ‘The Slugs’ getting back on the winners list.  Glenunga will certainly be looking to bounce back strongly next week.

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Phantom Tipster Round 2 Junior State League Results – 4/7

Round 3 Phantom Tipsters Tips