Elmwood sen. women tested

Press, 23 November 1987, Page 27

Elmwood sen. women tested

Elmwood finally knew what It is like to be tested when it barely escaped with a win from Fendalton in the B.N.Z. senior women’s tennis at Wilding Park on Saturday.

Fendalton was still smarting from the competition committee’s ruling to deduct points for playing a nonnominated player and the bottom placed team gave the top team a run for its money.

In the upset singles of the day according to form this season Jane Howe beat Amanda Trail of Elmwood 61, 6-3. Howe enjoyed a better consistency of line balls and her cross-court backhand stood her in good stead for the win. Trail appeared sluggish and did not get into the game, giving a simple and clear win for Howe. Howe was named the Nutri-Metics women’s player of the day. The singles matches was where Fendalton found the gap and it won three of the

four contests. Andrea Barlow fell at the hands of Carolyn Viggers in a three set match losing, 7-5, 46, 2-6. In a marvellous display of class tennis both players stroked the ball cleanly and had a good length and variance in their shots. Viggers has been playing well and with perhaps more match play under her belt she secured the win for Fendalton.

Ann Culhane was at the mercy of Mary-Jane Burke and lost her singles for the first time this season. Burke could have been justifiably proud of her 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 win after showing slightly more checkered form to date. In the other clashes the margin was much more decisive. United white-washed Shirley 6-0, and Barrington also quashed Avonside easily 6-0.

United, who are second on the points table, easily subdued the fourth placed Shir-

ley. Phillippa Lewthwaite had a quick win over Leigh Johnson but there were some marvellous rallies from two players who employ a similar style of play. Lewthwaite won 6-3, 6-1.

Although Barrington also finished the day with a clean slate the road to victory was not as simple as it looked. Robyn Hunt and Delia O’Malley, a strong club combination, met a spirited pairing in Judy Phillips and Angela Brading. Brading in particular played with more confidence and took volleys with more daring than usual. Phillips moved soundly and the pluckey pair took the second set to pressure the Barrington combination.

But Hunt and O’Malley consolidated their performance to stamp their dominance on the third and deciding set and won the match 6-4, 3-6, 62. In the top singles match

Hunt met with the fiesty Phillips, winning 6-1, 6-4, but she had to deal with some blistering tennis from her opposition.

The first set went all Hunt’s way but in the second Phillips appeared more mobile and she began to play with more menace.

Although Hunt was never really pressured she had to plan her attack carefully to foil the aggressive Phillips. Christine Armstrong, of Barrington, recorded her first win for the season beating Linda Duffy, 6-4, 6-1. Duffy was called in to replace Pam Morris who was unwell.

Barrington’s strong win has affected the points table dramatically moving it from second off the bottom to third, and puts them back in contention for one of the higher placings.

Points after round five: Elmwood 36, United 34, Barrington 21, Shirley 18, Avonside 14, Fendalton 12.