The Defenders, Tom Cunningham, Matthew Kappos and Rob Russell, took out the Echuca Table Tennis Association’s winter competition.
With both the Defenders and Team Seven coming into the Echuca Table Tennis Association winter grand final with one loss to their names, only one would cap off an almost perfect season and lift the Geoff Nesbitt Perpetual Trophy.
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Led by an untouchable Matthew Kappos, who finished the competition with 21 wins and zero losses to his name, the Defenders rallied back from a slow start to triumph on Wednesday night, August 6.
Team Seven’s number two Pete Retallick and number one Judy James got their side off to a hot start with back-to-back straight-sets wins before Kappos jagged one back for the Defenders before the first doubles.
The number one and two doubles reflected the see-sawing nature of the contest with Kappos and Rob Russell winning the first and third sets, but it was Team Seven’s Retallick and James keeping Team Seven’s nose in front with a 3-2 victory before the next set of matches.
The Defenders launched a counter-attack in the next few matches, with Tom Cunningham mopping the floor with Kate Schultz in the number three head-to-head and Kappos dropping his first and only set of the night in an eventual 3-1 win in the number one face-off.
Team Seven, Judy James, Peter Retallick and Kate Schultz, were narrowly defeated at the big dance.
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Matthew Kappos
Team Seven remained in the mix thanks to the heroics of Retallick, who battled Russell in the number two bout, getting the job done in four sets (3-1).
With Team Seven still holding a 4-3 advantage overall, the second doubles was the key contest in deciding the match, with Kappos and Cunningham combining to down James and Schultz in straight sets.
Down the stretch both Kappos and Russell dealt with Retallick and Schultz in straight sets, respectively, to complete the comeback and snatch the coveted Geoff Nesbitt Perpetual Trophy 6-4.
Following a week break, Echuca Table Tennis Association will roll into its spring season on Wednesday, August 20. If you would like to play or just come down and give table tennis a try, reach out to Echuca Table Tennis Association’s Facebook page.
