Finals Day at Kawaroa Park

Four tight semi-final tussles took place at Kawaroa Park Squash Club last night...

On the women's side of the draw the top seeded Auckland team took on fifth seeds Wellington in one semi-final, while BOP (2) and Canterbury (3) contested the other.  After upsetting fourth seeds Waikato in the morning, the Wellington girls were keen to continue making waves in the competition.  Although ably led by Rebecca Barnett at number one, who accounted for Auckland's Rachel McLeod in four sets, Auckland's strength in depth shone through enabling them to progress to Tuesday afternoon's final by a margin of ten games to four.  The other women's semi-final featured four very close matches - including a mouth-watering rematch of Saturday's individual event quarter-final between Amanda Landers-Murphy and Megan Craig.  Craig (Canterbury) won that encounter 12-10 in the fifth after 75 minutes of brutal rallies, but the teams event always adds a different dynamic to proceedings.  Landers-Murphy took the first two sets 12-10, 11-6 before Craig hit back to take the third 11-6.  Landers-Murphy then closed out the match 11-7 to seal the tie 11-7 for Bay of Plenty.

On the men's side top seeds Central were given a scare by fifth seeds Auckland.  In the first match Regan Smith found himself down two games to love to Sion Wiggin, before clawing back the match to win the fifth set 11-6.  A short time later Auckland's Lance Beddoes stormed out of the blocks against Kashif Shuja to earn a 2-0 lead of his own.  Shuja's experience then came to the fore, and his calm and focus enabled him to peg back a determined Beddoes lead and eventually win the match.  Wins to Joseph Watts and Tom Nash sealed the tie for Central 12-6.  Double defending champions Wellington then booked their place in the final by beating Canterbury 10-6.  Paul Coll achieved the only win for Canterbury, backing up after defeating Martin Knight in the morning to beat Sam Atkins in four sets.  Zac Millar and Jon Barnett - recently returned from the World Junior Men's Championships in Qatar - won their matches to tip the balance in Wellington's favour, enabling the experienced Shane Johnston to seal it by beating Andrew Ellis is straight games.

The finals and third/fourth playoff matches will commence at 1pm at the Kawaroa Park Squash Club

Full Results

Women's Semi-finals

Auckland beat Wellington10-4
Rachel McLeod lost to Rebecca Barnett 11-9, 8-11, 9-11, 9-11
Ellie Epke beat Mickayla Kerr 11-6, 11-7, 12-10
Abbie Palmer beat Steps Smith 11-3, 11-7, 11-13, 11-7
Georgina Shelton-Agar beat Hannah Grimmett 11-8, 11-2, 11-8

Bay of Plenty beat Canterbury 11-7
Amanda Landers-Murphy beat Megan Craig 12-10, 11-6, 6-11, 11-7
Jo Shanks beat Jutta Tuunanen 12-10, 11-9, 6-11, 2-11, 12-10
Vicki Beker lost to Shayle Higginson 11-9, 11-6, 5-11, 5-11, 8-11
Courtney Bragg beat Erin Dippie 11-1, 11-6, 10-12, 11-9

Men's Semi-finals

Central beat Auckland 12-6
Kashif Shuja beat Lance Beddoes 4-11, 10-12, 11-1, 11-8, 11-7
Joseph Watts beat Mike Weston 13-11, 11-8, 11-8
Tom Nash beat Michael Blanchard 11-13, 14-12, 13-11, 10-12, 11-8
Regan Smith beat Sion Wiggin 9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-6

Wellington beat Canterbury 10-6
Sam Atkins lost to Paul Coll 9-11, 11-6, 8-11, 1-11
Jon Barnett beat Grant Craig 9-11, 9-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-7
Zac Millar beat Chris Van Der Salm 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-5
Shane Johnston beat Andrew Ellis 11-7, 11-8, 11-4