TOP GUN: Spring Gully Butterflies captain Matt Hartland and his team-mates were in hot form in Saturday's preliminary final win against Spring Gully Brougham Arms
Spring Gully Butterflies will meet BLTC Shish in this Saturday’s grand final in the Bendigo Tennis Association’s premier league.
The Butterflies smashed Spring Gully Brougham Arms, 10-95 to 1-66, in Saturday’s preliminary final.
Despite only winning one set, Brougham Arms was far from disgraced, with many sets being closely-fought.
Matt Hartland and Simon Baker teamed up to beat Paul Condliffe and Jamie Brown, 8-4
Brougham Arms captain Jamie Brown played at number two, but this strategy backfired when Baker sprung an upset singles win, 8-5.
Hartland defeated Condliffe, 8-4, while in the lower order, Jayden Baber and Rob Gallagher combined to defeat Sam Storer and Chris Chiappazzo, 9-8.
Baber then upset Storer in a comeback win, 9-7, while Gallagher accounted for Chiappazzo, 8-5.
Brougham Arms’ only set of the day came from Jess Hartland in her 8-5 singles win against Danielle Bowles, but Bowles and Lynda Gallagher defeated Hartland and Bronwyn Osborne, 9-7.
The stage is now set for next weekend’s grand final, fittingly to be played by the two best teams throughout the season.
In section two, Spring Gully Racqueteers defeated Spring Gully Sensation in a one-sided contest, 7-66 to 1-34.
Stuart Johansen got the Racqueteers off to a flying start with an 8-1 win against Easton Smyth, and Narelle McPhee defeated Samara Cooper, 8-2.
Sensation’s lone win of the day came in an epic doubles, with Paul Henshall and Ryan Leader combining to defeat Simon Wood and Shane Saunderson, 9-8.
The loss ended a disappointing finals campaign for Sensation, who finished on top of the ladder, but were beaten in both play-offs.
The Racqueteers take on South Bendigo Hibernian in the grand final at the Bendigo Bank tennis complex in Nolan Street.