South West made it two Tennis Victoria under 13 competition runner-up finishes in a row yesterday.
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Eloise Swarbrick, Kate Tomkins, Danielle Warren and Greta Dabizzi helped South West make the Foundation Cup final at Warrnambool Lawn Tennis Club.
They won five of their six preliminary games before dropping the final to Barwon, 5-34 to 1-19.
Greta and Danielle teamed to win South West’s only set in the final with a 6-4 victory in their doubles match.
South West’s strong result followed Harry Boyd, Patrick Drake, Joseph Mahony and Wihan Van der Merwe teaming up for a runner-up finish at the John Fitzgerald Cup — the boys’ under 13 equivalent — in Swan Hill last month.
South West girls’ team manager Helen Swarbrick praised her side for its tenacity, saying it made the final “through sheer determination and backing each other up”.
“They played so well and really worked hard playing a lot of matches,” she said.
“The wind was a home-ground advantage (on Sunday) and it was harder today when it was a bit still.”
Swarbrick, who praised local coach Joe Hakimi for speaking to the team before yesterday’s play, said South West was too strong for Central Gippsland — a side it was battling for a spot in the one-versus-two decider — in the final round.
“We won 6-0 so it was very convincing and was the turning point and got the girls into the final,” she said.
Swarbrick said Barwon’s experience was telling in the final.
“They had two top-age girls and we had three 12-year-olds and an 11-year-old,” she said.
“Physically they were stronger. All of our girls can play next year in the Foundation Cup and will be twice as determined.”
Six of the seven teams — South West, Barwon, Central Gippsland, Goulburn, Northern Mallee and Wimmera — to contest the Foundation Cup played finals.
North East was the only team to miss out on a finals spot.
South West network tennis co-ordinator Andrew Drake said the girls’ squad performances embodied team work.
“Conditions were a little trying (on Sunday) with the wind but from the games I saw they were very even,” he said.
“They were a really good, even team and they all contributed to get the result and that showed I suppose.
“They got beaten by a much better team in the final but it was awesome to come runner-up, a terrific effort really.”
Drake said the region’s two under 13 teams’ promising displays at high-level tournaments were positives but highlighted the need to build numbers and participation in all age groups after South West struggled to fill some squads in the past 12 months.
“At the end of the day you don’t have to be a superstar, you only have to compete,” he said.