There was lots to celebrate before the game as Tigers defender Bridgette McCarty was awarded life membership to the GVL ahead of her 200th A-grade game.
It was also an important game for young defender Kaylah Moon, who was called up from the under-17s to make her A-grade debut off the bench.
The Magpies were at their clinical best through much of the contest, but the Tigers showed resiliency in the early going.
Despite missing regular shooter Tia Webb, Rochy was well in the fight in the opening minutes, with Ava Nihill and Ella Kerlin working effectively in the goal circle.
Both sides stung together runs, but there was very little between them at the first break. Kerlin drained the last goal of the term to put Rochy within one, 13-14, at the interval.
Four straight goals to open the second quarter put Euroa in control and Rochester was left trying to hold on against the champion’s quality.
The Magpies scored 11 of the first 13 of the term to stretch the lead to double digits and continued to extend it throughout the term.
Some late substitutions allowed the Tigers to keep things even in the dying minutes of the half, but Rochy trailed by 14 at the main break.
The second half was mostly back and forth, but Euroa was more often the side stringing together runs of goals, and it led the champion to an eventual 67-46 victory.
Rochester employed Kerlin (18 goals), Nihil (12) and Matilda McIntyre (16) as scorers, all to good effect, while Euroa relied on the tried and tested pairing of Olivia Morris (49) and Mia Sudomirski (18) in the goal circle.
The Tigers are 1-2 in the young season, still well within reach of the finals places if they can chain together some strong results.
Rochy next hosts bottom-of-the-table Mansfield at Rochester Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
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