LUCINDALE WOMBATS 13-128 d NARACOORTE 11-106
In Round 5 of the Southern Ports Tennis association, only one match was played with others cancelled due to the weather.
The mixed doubles set the scene for the day as Lucindale’s top two teams both claimed 6-1 victories.
In other clashes, the Wombats’ Mitchell Baker and Brittany Voss defeated Stephen Biggins and Jen Malone in a tie-break, while Naracoorte’s Katelyn Baker and Logan Smith defeated Sam Crocker and Bronwyn Longbottom 7-5.
In the singles, the Wombats again showed their dominance at the top as Chandler Smart claimed a 6-3 win over Dan Menzel to continue her impressive form.
Eliza Handbury and Tom Handbury both claimed wins in their singles clashes, while strong performances from Voss, Mitch Baker and Trevor Smart helped the Wombats streak ahead.
Wins from Will Malone, Smith, Albert Mann and Alix Mosey helped Naracoorte reduce the deficit.
Office-mates became rivals when Katelyn Baker defeated Longbottom 6-1 and in his first senior match, Max Lush showed his potential with an impressive win over Micaela Lock.
With the score at 10-8 Naracoorte looked to win the early doubles clashes to claw back the margin but the Wombats had other plans as they claimed two wins in the top clashes.
The Naracoorte women reduced the margin with 9-5 and 9-6 wins.
Smith and Mann kept the dream alive with a marathon 10-8 win over Longbottom and Crocker.
The match went down to the final doubles set, where all eyes were on Lucindale’s Mitchell Baker and Trevor Smart and Naracoorte’s Biggins and Norbert Wende.
Lucindale led 12 sets to 11 and withstood the pressure to claim a 9-2 win in the final set to seal the victory.
Lucindale’s Chandler Smart, Mitchell Baker, Trevor Smart, Eliza Handbury, Tom Handbury and Voss all won three sets, while Smith, Mann, Katelyn Baker and Lush won three sets for Naracoorte.
Round 6 will see tennis return across the Limestone Coast if the weather does not intervene.
Beachport will host the Lucindale Cockatoos, the Robe Roosters will travel to Kingston, while the Rebels will host the competition-leading Wombats.
Elsewhere, Penola will play its second home game of the season when it plays host to the Koalas and the match of the round will be the clash between Naracoorte and Frances-Lucindale.
