With finals looming in Shepparton District Tennis Association, a gripping five-game win for Old Students against second-placed McEwen Reserve Opal in round 12 of the competition solidified the side's spot in third with three rounds to play.
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Champagne tennis from Jake Sprunt and Tim Hunter held Students in good stead early, but a resistant Opal outfit remained in the running as the afternoon drew out.
With both sides tied on 34 games apiece, all eyes were on the final rubber where Hunter and Melinda Hann came up clutch to dismantle Ben Ladson and Heather Thomson 6-1 and take all spoils for their side.
Sliding down the table, Lemnos held on to prevail against St Brendan's 5-39 to 4-35 in the battle of sixth and seventh.
Peter Jeffery and Craig Exton got Lemnos off to flyer, before the Saints turned the table on the hosts to sit ahead halfway through the day's play.
However, three consecutive rubbers going the way of Lemnos signalled the end for St Brendan's, who could only settle for defeat despite Paul Howard and Shae Montgomery taking out the final tie 6-1.
Shepparton North’s face off with Karramomus contained no surprises, with the ladder-leader extending the gap at the top to six points following a resounding win.
Northerners’ usual culprits lit it up in front of the home crowd, with Dale Baldi, Helen and Mark Jackson and Clark Pettigrew putting on a show from start to finish.
Bloods pairing Marie Levett-Hall and Romney Cresswell managed to wrest a 6-2 triumph from Georgie Moore and Wendy Sidebottom in the fourth rubber, but there was to be no fairytale comeback as Karramomus slumped to an 8-50 to 1-14 loss.
Elsewhere, the gap between fourth and fifth has widened after Central Park saw off a challenge from McEwen Reserve White to surely secure its place in the finals, now sitting 12 points clear of the former.
Stalwarts Scott Durling and Janelle Pottenger steered the side to victory, each playing their part in four winning rubbers during the 6-46 to 3-73 success.
It was a day to forget for Undera in the lower divisions, with Maroon and White falling to Murchison and Central Park, meanwhile, Karramomus and St Andrew's proved too good for Shepparton North Gold and Bunbartha.
Finally, McEwen Reserve Blue lost in a thriller at Shepparton North, while counterparts McEwen Reserve Green ran riot against Old Students.
