Finals-bound: Rachel Whipp and Rochester’s B-grade outfit, which sits fifth on the ladder after 11 games of the 18-week season, has the chance to improve this weekend against eighth-ranked Kyabram. The Tigerettes team scored a three-goal win on Saturday.
Bridgette Holt and Linda Rasmussen’s brilliant defensive season continued on Saturday and has allowed Rochester to stay in touch with the top six teams of Goulburn Valley netball’s A-grade competition.
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The Tigerette defenders, and Teal Hocking’s 10 first-quarter goals, gave Rochester a seven-goal quarter time lead which they maintained for the duration of the match, to eventually win 58-53.
Rochester’s fifth win of the season has it sitting only six points off sixth ranked Shepparton, which it faces in a fortnight — after this weekend’s match with 10th ranked Kyabram.
Hocking shot 22 goals in the first half, then Morgan Dingwall stepped up in the second half with 12 goals (21 for the match).
The high-scoring match (111 goals) featured a 31-goal second term and 30 goals in the final term when both teams shot 15 goals apiece.
Rochester was outscored by two in the final three terms, Ava Cottam’s work at wing defence turned defence into attack and the interchanging of positions between Ellie Cuttriss and Ella Roulson allowed the Tigerettes a mid-court advantage.
Morgan Dingwall offered great support to the dominant Hocking, their movement highlighted by a lightning fast bounce pass from Teal and a goal eventuated.
Winning against Kyabram and Shepparton would then set the team up for a run at the finals as they face another two teams below them in the final seven weeks of the season.
A final-quarter surge has secured Rochester B-grade’s place in the top six, with four of its next five matches against teams below it on the ladder to come.
The Tigerettes and Swans were even at three-quarter time before the fifth-ranked Rochester ended with a 9-6 final term for a 38-35 victory. All 10 squad members of both teams were used in the match.
Accurate shooting by Charlotte Gould (21 goals) and Leila Palmer (15 goals) kept the team in touch with the seventh-ranked Swans, while Rachel Whipp and Charlee Roulston provided a string of passes into the ring.
Grace Ingram gave her opposition little breathing space at wing defence and the see-sawing contest ended with the Tigerettes’ seventh win of the 11-week-old season.
An 11-goal margin faced Rochester’s B-reserve team at quarter time of its match with third-ranked Shepparton Swans, but the Tigerettes broke even in the final three quarters in an encouraging sign for the coming seven weeks.
Rochester now sits equal on points with sixth-ranked Shepparton, who it faces in two weeks time, after losing to the Swans 38-49.
This weekend also presents the Tigerettes with a chance to improve, pitted against fifth-ranked Kyabram — only one win ahead of it on the ladder.
Grace Ingram starred in her 100th game for the club, working hard with incredible intercepts, while Zali Hocking did a mountain of work at the opposite end.
Krystal Conder’s precise passing and Maddy Pearse, in her debut senior game for the season, also made a impact on the match.
Hocking finished with 25 of her team’s goals for the match, which was influenced heavily by the Swans’ fast start (18-7 first quarter) and finish (15-8 last term).
Rising above: Chance Powles was a four-quarter performer in defence for Rochester on Saturday and this weekend against fifth-ranked Kyabram has the chance to close the gap on the top six teams.
Rochester stood firm for two of the four quarters in the first of three successive testing weeks of under-17 netball when they face three of the top four teams.
The Tigerettes lost 35-54 to fourth-ranked Shepparton Swans on Saturday and in the next two weeks have third-ranked Kyabram (which has lost just two of its 11 games) and ladder-leading Shepparton.
Charlize was a star in the mid-court during the competitive first term in which the Tigerettes scored 11 goals and trailed by just five at the first break.
Moni came into centre in the second term, but the Swans kicked away and despite the recovery led by goalers Kaitlyn Joyce and Payton Tiller, the margin remained 12 at three-quarter time.
Grace had an impact on the game in the third term after missing two games through injury, her strong rebounding making a difference.
Tara Atley moved back to goal keeper in the final term, but was unable to prevent a Swans onslaught.
Marli Cottam’s shooting accuracy set a high standard early in Rochester’s under-15 match with the fourth-ranked Swans.
The teams couldn’t be separated at quarter time before a 10-3 second term gave the Swans the advantage.
Cottam shot eight of the Tigerettes’ 14 first-half goals and finished with 18 for the match, supported by Lexi McKenzie (six goals ), Leah Toohill (two goals) and Chloe Moyle (two goals).
A nine-goal third term by Cottam meant the Tigers trailed by eight at three-quarter time, but they were unable to make up the difference.
Rochester now sits eighth on the ladder, two wins outside the top six, after the 27-41 loss, and facing a tough fortnight against fifth-ranked Kyabram and Echuca, second on the ladder with only one loss from 11 games.
They had a consistent flow of ball from Sophie, Leah, Imogen and Evie, while Marri Howard and Chance Powles were the team’s standout four-quarter performers in defence.
