Echcua 2 started its campaign with a hard-fought 7-77 to 6-74 win over Lockington-Bamawm United.
The two sides split the singles rubbers, with Harrison Condliffe grabbing a 6-3 win for LBU, while Echuca’s Logan Milnes responded with a 7-5 success of his own.
Echuca established an advantage in the men’s doubles, taking two of the three sets on offer, with Stephen Hope and Phil Higgins the biggest winners with an 8-4 win.
The women’s doubles swung the way of LBU, who took three of four matches in the grouping.
Melissa Haines and Lois Toohey paired to earn an 8-1 victory for LBU, while Toohey and Narelle Bacon were winners 8-2.
Echuca needed a strong performance in the mixed doubles to salvage the tie and that was what it delivered.
Three of the four remaining ties went its way including an 8-1 win to Shaun Trice and Tanya Godfrey, Echuca escaping with a narrow win.
In the other tie, Rochester started its year off on a high, scoring a 7-75 to 6-70 win over Echuca 3 in the season opener.
Rochy looked to be in trouble in the early going as Echuca took both of the singles rubbers and the first two of the men’s doubles to be up four sets in the early going.
The pairing of Jacob Grieves and Nash Hocking then steadied the ship for Rochy, taking the final men’s doubles 8-4.
It was the beginning of a dominant run from Rochy, which extended its run of consecutive sets to five with wins in all four women’s doubles, taking them by a combined 32 games to 19.
An 8-0 triumph from Hocking and Alyssa Moss highlighted the mixed doubles portion, the two sides splitting the four rubbers, but Rochester came away with the overall honours.
Echuca 1 had the bye in the opening round.
Division two
LBU 2 picked up the win over Echuca, taking the contest 10-66 to 3-43.
LBU was rarely troubled throughout, jumping ahead after taking the first three sets.
Echuca made a brief fightback, taking two sets in a row, but LBU closed out the contest with six of the remaining seven matches going its way.
Echuca 5 proved too strong for Rochester 2, dominating the tie 11-74 to 2-31.
An early lead was continually built upon for Echuca, with wins to the pairings of Justin Coghill and Rob Else in the men’s doubles, and Christopher Murray and Kirstie Gebbie in the mixed doubles the only bright spots for Rochy.
Elmore 1 had the bye.
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