Kompanik wins evening series

EVA Kompanik won the delayed final play-off of the Phyllis Court 10+ Evening Series by a single hoop point this week, when the three-sided event was decided on net hoops.

Kompanik had qualified for the play-offs with a 100 per cent record from her six evening series games and her achievement was matched by rivals Daphne Spiers and Maureen Ward, at the head of the 40-player competition.

The latter pair played first in the round-robin event and Spiers got ahead 3-1 and maintained that two-hoop cushion for a comfortable win 7-5.

Defeat meant that Ward lined up as Kompanik’s first opponent and the former played much better in that second game and led throughout to win 7-4, which kept her in with a chance of the title on one win and a +1 net hoops score.

The last game brought back Spiers to play Kompanik, with the Series victory possible for all three players.

Spiers simply needed to win, whereas Kompanik needed a win by 7-2 or better to get in front of both Spiers and Ward on net hoops.

It looked like being a tall order but when Kompanik won the two middle hoops to stretch a hard-fought lead from 3-1 to 5-1, the odds on her victory shortened considerably.

Spiers promoted her ball well in front of hoop seven and converted the hoop shot for 5-2 but a super long-range effort at hoop eight from Kompanik nestled in the hoop jaws, to keep her in the play-off.

She scored on the next rotation to take took the contest to 6-2 and a winner takes all contest at hoop nine.

Looking on, Ward could now not win the play-offs, and when Spiers over-shot with her first approach stroke and Kompanik took good position, the crucial 7-2 result was on.

Spiers cleared the immediate danger but could not hold position and back came Kompanik to have two balls in front of the hoop and she wrapped up the game, tying the event on wins and won with a net hoops tally of +2, to Ward’s +1 and Spiers’s -3.

Meanwhile Phyllis Court coaches Ruth Raunkiaer and Patricia Mulcahy have received recognition from Croquet England.

Raunkiaer has been moved up in status to Grade 1 GC coach by the Croquet England Coaching Committee, following recommendation from examining coach Rich Waterman.

Raunkiaer has worked hard at her trade, taking beginners’ courses and improvers’ classes at Phyllis Court, as well as being a hands-on coach and a member of the management board at the Chiltern Croquet Academy at High Wycombe. Following completion of the necessary five observed coaching sessions Phyllis Court croquet chairman Mulcahy has been awarded her club-grade coaching badge.