Shirley disturbs Elmwood’s run

Press, 25 January 1988, Page 22

Shirley disturbs Elmwood’s run

Shirley upset the senior competition when it beat Elmwood 7 sets to 6, in the B.N.Z. senior women’s tennis competition played at Wilding Park on Saturday. Elmwood had not lost this season and Shirley was lucky to strike the young side Amanda Trail, who is playing in the Nutri-Metics International tennis tournament in the North Island.

This was a great win as Jill Hibbert, Shirley’s No. 3 player, was forced to default her match against Jillian Lavender in the third set after

feeling weak. Hibbert had won the first set, 6-4, then lost to the second, 0-6, before having to give the match away. Elmwood was in trouble after the doubles matches. It lost both and was faced with a two match deficit. Karen Mellish stepped into No. 4 in the Elmwood side because of Trail’s absence but could not find consistency against Haylay Barlow and lost, 4-6, 1-6.

Andrea Barlow moved into No. 1 in Trail’s place and played her usual mature style to beat Leigh Johnson, 6-2, 6-

3. Johnson and Barlow had some strong rallies but Barlow had the edge with well placed shots. Ann Culhane of Elmwood beat Jo Lake, 6-1, 6-3. Both young players had their share of good fortune and played with dexterity but Culhane held on to win decisively.

After a torrid afternoon on centre-court, United beat Fendalton, 4-2. Jane Howe of Fendalton in a marathon effort beat Phillippa Lewthwaite in a tie-breaker in the third set, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6. It was a match of wits and

both players played tenaciously. Shirley Haig of United bad a tough' assignment to beat Carolyn Viggers of Fendalton 7-6, 6-2. Haig led 5-3 in the first set but had to steel herself to edge out an equally determined Viggers who forced her to a tie-breaker with innovative tennis. Robyn Hunt Barrington’s top player, was playing in the Nutri-Metics International tournament, but her side still trounced Avonside, 6-0. Judy Phillips, the usual Avonside leader, was holiday-

ing and her side struggled to present any real competition to the solid Barrington side. Both teams’ players' were moved up the playing list and confronted each other in the same order as usual. Delia O’Malley of Barrington whs chased to three sets by Angela Brading but finally won. 4-6. 7-5. 6-2. Points: Fendalton 23, Elmwood 19, United 17, Barrington 11. Shirley 9, Avonside 2.