DULCE Londt Park A women and the NMMU men's team rounded off their programmes in style this week to cement their positions at the top of the EP first squash league standings.
Going into the final matches on Tuesday, both teams had already sealed the titles and their decisive wins in their final matches merely confirmed their superiority.
As far as can be established, this is NMMU's first triumph in the league since 1978, when the varsity was called UPE. Since 1983, they have not featured among the champions and although prior to that the records are not clear, former provincial player Hugh Glover recalls winning the first league title in 1978 with the varsity.
"I am certain we won it that year and I remember I played behind Dave Scott [one of the country's leading players] and Mike Scott," Glover said yesterday. "We won it and then soon afterwards we split our strength and entered two teams in the league."
It seems now that NMMU have added a second title to their honours list they have been full value for the victory, dominating the second half, as Londt Park did in the women's race.
Headed by the talented Lizelle Goosen, there was never much doubt that Londt Park A would be crowned women's champions and they strode to their fifth straight title by dropping just three points in the second half.
This week's first league results:
Women Dulce LP A bt Saders B 12-1 (LP first): L Goosen bt D van Eyk 3-0, J Ryder bt A Fraser 3-0, K Dodd bt M Roos 3-0, J Dodd bt K Hoy 3-1
Saders A bt Westview B 9-8 (Saders first): A Murray bt D Johnson 3-0, C Forbes, bt B Kohne 3-2, P Louwrens lost to C Rose 3-1, W Theron lost to S van Eck 3-2
Men
NMMU bt Westview 11-5 (NMMU first): J le Roux bt S Bailey 3-1, K Schwarz bt P Mason 3-0, D Bigara bt L Sigele 3-1, A Labuschagne lost to J Thiel 3-2.
Dulce LP A bt Saders 9-5 (LP first): R van Niekerk bt T Mngcete 3-1, Q Masters bt C Cherry 3-1, A van Niekerk bt M Westcott 3-0, D Schultz bt N Cape 3-0.
Walmer and Dulce LP B drew 7-7 (Walmer first): S Viljoen bt W Watermeyer 3-0, G Plaatjies bt A Senekal 3-1, P Davidson lost to G Hall 3-0, T la Mude lost to R Raubenheimer 3-1.
Old Grey bt Rhodes 12-5
AS the winter leagues draw to a close, there is still plenty of competition ahead for the region's squash players.
The NMMU Open in a fortnight's time is building up to be a cracking tournament, with top players Adrian Hansen and Rudi Willemse already entered,
The tournament will run from September 14 to 16. Entries close on September 10. The cost is R100 a player.
A week later, the Henry Slater tournament will take place at Uitenhage's Swifts club in memory of Slater, a stalwart club member and a former EP Squash Union chairman, who died last year.
This event will be played from September 21 to 23 and also accommodates players of all levels. Entry forms have been circulated to all clubs.
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