SOFFE CUP REVIEW

Rotokare finished the first round of the Soffe Cup on a high with a 15-1 drubbing of Midhirst.  It was thought No 1 Max Ladame would be unavailable but he did play and had a tough first set against Chris Brown 7-5 and went on to take the second set 6-3.

The rest of the men’s singles were easy wins.

No 1 Leith Atkins had her best result of the season with a 7-6 6-2 win over Kathryn O’Sullivan while No 2 Cheryl Lawrence had a 6-4 6-1 win over Shelley Childs.

No 3, 16 year old age group rep Michelle Atkins recorded her first Soffe Cup singles win with a hard fought 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 win over Sandy Reeve.  To complete the clean sweep, No 4 Debbie Campbell defeated Gloria Wilson 6-1, 7-6.

The doubles matches were fairly easy wins for Rotokare although the women’s doubles was a three set win to Atkins and Atkins over O’Sullivan and Childs.

Midhirst’s only win was the No 3 combines, Ross Topping and Reeve defeated Jonothan Ussher and Michelle Atkins 9-7.

 

Sandfords Manaia 1 had a predictably comfortable 11-5 win over Pukekura.  The win was set up by the 6-2 singles result. Manaia’s No 1 and 3, Jason Mills and Cameron Koch had easy wins over Zac Wills and Ben Aves while Pukekura’s No 2 Ryan Waite defeated Alaister Murdoch in three sets.  Manaia’s No 4 Michael Gates dropped the first set before winning the next two against Andrew Waite.

Manaia’s top three women all had comfortable wins although No 3 Irene Cruikshank won the first set 6-1 against Kirsten Adam but had to battle in the second set before winning it 7-5.  Pukekura’s No 4 defeated Ashlee Murdoch 6-3, 6-0.

The mens’ and womens doubles all went Manaia’s way and Pukekura picked up all but the top combines.

 

Stratford also ended round one with a good win at home, 14-2 over Manaia 2.  Six of the singles were easy wins to Stratford.  Manaia 2 picked up the top two women’s matches, for their side’s only points of the day.  Kylie Jury and Jaydyn Bruce had three set wins over Abby Death and Helen Johnston.

 

The Hawera – Waiwaka match which was to be played at Hawera was rained out.

 

There is a new format this season and the three divisions of A Grade will split into four divisions.  The 7^th and 8^th placed Soffe Cup teams, Hawera and Manaia 2 drop out and join the top four teams of A2 to contest the Wilson Trophy.

 

A2 Results

Matapu 9 Huatoki 7, Waitara 11 Manaia 5, Okaiwa 16 Rotokare 0

 

Points at the end of round one

Soffe Cup

Manaia 1 105, Rotokare 82, Waiwaka 76, Pukekura 68, Stratford 57, Midhirst 46, Hawera 39, Manaia 2 31.

 

A2

Kaponga 81, Okaiawa 80, Matapu 78, Waitara 40, Manaia 36, Huatoki 33, Rotokare 29.