Rochester’s A-grade netball team has continued a promising start to the 2024 season, maintaining an unbeaten record by defeating Kyabram in round two of the Goulburn Valley League on Saturday, April 13.
The club celebrated the first home game of its 150th season with a 12-goal win under lights.
The Tigers were in the ascendancy throughout the contest, taking the first quarter 15 goals to 12 to open up an early lead at Rochester Recreation Reserve.
The Bombers squad responded in the second and would have been hopeful of turning things around in the last two terms after going shot for shot in a tied second quarter, the teams entering the half-time break with Rochy ahead 30-27.
However, it was the Tigers who put their foot down to start the second half, overwhelming Kyabram to stretch the lead to nine goals, 45-36, at the final break.
Rochester closed out the match with a 13-10 quarter, the game resulting in a final score of 58-46 in favour of the home side.
“It was probably a bit more scrappy than we would have liked but that’s okay, you’ve got to win that way sometimes,” said Tigers co-coach Linda Rasmussen.
“It’s a good win against Kyabram, who are a young team, and I think they will improve a lot over the season as well.”
Rasmussen and co-coach Rachael Whipp were impressed with the second-half performance of Teal Hocking while also identifying Eloise Cuttris as a strong performer in the side's second win of the year.
“We thought Elly (Eloise) Cuttriss in wing defence was quite pivotal for us,” Rasmussen said.
“She got her hands to lots of balls and got some really good turnovers at the times we really needed it so we thought she played a really good role through there.”
Rochester currently is in second place on the table, one of four undefeated sides through two rounds.
Last year saw the club come close to breaking its two-decade-plus finals drought, and Rasmussen hopes this will be the year for the Tigers to break through into the post-season, stating the team will be “disappointed” if it doesn’t make finals in 2024.
Shepparton Bears, another of the league’s undefeated sides, looms as a challenge for Rochester next week.
“We’re really looking forward to the challenge against these sides that we need to win if we are to make finals, so we think we’re up for it,” said Rasmussen.