Opponent Echuca 3 had secured third place the previous week but was looking to gain confidence at the Rochester Lawn Tennis Club against the league leader with a win.
The singles rubbers were split, but it was Rochester who earned the early games advantage after Lachlan Smith took his set 6-1.
Echuca 3 grabbed the advantage in the men’s doubles, winning two of three sets, Roger Carmody and Josh Boyd getting the biggest win of a close section, 8-5.
The quality of Rochester’s women’s doubles pairings became evident as Rochy seized control of the match by taking all four sets.
Karen Taylor and Cadence Major helped extend the margin with an 8-1 result in their set.
Echuca 3 needed a decisive victory in the mixed doubles to have any hope of closing the gap, but Rochester extended its margin by taking three of four rubbers for a final score of 9-94 to 4-62.
LBU vs Echuca 2
Unable to improve its ladder position, Lockington-Bamawm United was looking to end its year on a positive note with a third straight win.
However, it was Echuca 2 which gathered its own momentum towards the finals with an 8-87 to 5-61 victory.
The game was still mostly in the balance after the singles matches, with LBU’s Harrison Condliffe and Echuca 2’s Logan Milnes both earning wins for their sides.
LBU kept the hope of an upset alive as it grabbed two of three men’s doubles matches, Grant Humbert and Darryl Squires one of two pairings to score an 8-6 victory.
Momentum swung firmly in Echuca 2’s favour following the women’s doubles, winning three of four sets including Jess Cox and Judy Poole executing an 8-0 shutout in their encounter.
Echuca 2 reeled off another pair of 8-0s in the mixed doubles to put the game beyond doubt as LBU only snatched one of the four sets on offer.
Rochester will battle last year’s grand final opponent Echuca 1 in a semi-final this weekend.
Echuca 3 and Echuca 2 will face off in the other semi-final, with both matches to be played at Rochester Lawn Tennis Club.
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