CITY Memorial Gold kept its hopes of claiming back-to-back Western District Bowls Division Tuesday pennant premierships alive with a hard-fought 78-69 win over Koroit Orange.
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City Memorial Gold won two of the three rinks in the semi-final to book its spot in the decider, prevailing despite a stern challenge from Koroit Orange.
Team manager Jenny Scott said City Memorial Gold could expect more of the same in the grand final in a fortnight.
“It was very close all day,” she said.
“It was a very good test, it was neck-and-neck all day.
“It’ll be a hard-fought game (in two weeks’ time) – the grand final always is.”
Kaye Maddern posted a 32-19 win over Trina Dycer in what Scott said had been a close contest until the last few ends.
Pauline Burleigh scraped through for a thrilling one-shot victory over Faye Bolden 24-23.
Pauline Elliot secured Orange’s only rink win, defeating Barbara Bibby 27-22.
Dycer said Koroit was proud of the fight it showed in taking on the competition’s top team from the regular season.
“We ended up going down trying to make numbers. We dropped 10 shots in the last three ends,” she said.
“We were two down with four ends to go.
“We have to be pleased with how close we got. It certainly wasn’t a disappointing result.
“We took it up to them and I think we have them a bit of a shock.”
While Koroit Orange did not get the win, the confidence-boosting performance was just the tonic after an upset loss to City Memorial’s Green side in the final round of the regular season.
The Koroit team will now take on Warrnambool Gold, which defeated City Green 87-41 in the knockout first semi-final, in next Tuesday’s preliminary final at Port Fairy.
Warrnambool Gold skipper Helen Locke, who won her rink 32-12 over Valeese Mabbitt, said the belief-building 46-shot margin came as a surprise.
“We didn’t expect to win by that much,” she said.
“(In my rink) we got away to a good start, and so did Judy Symmons.
“Brenda Hawker was neck-and-neck for a fair while, but the last few ends she got away.”
Symmons posted a 31-12 win over Wendy Jelbart, while Hawker defeated Chrissy McMahon 24-17.
In division two, Dennington Red booked its spot in the grand final with an 86-70 win over City Memorial Blue, winning two rinks.
Warrnambool Blue won two rinks to defeat Lawn Tennis Green 73-63 in the knockout first semi-final.
Susie Giese
Susie Giese is a sports reporter at The Standard in Warrnambool
Susie Giese is a sports reporter at The Standard in Warrnambool
