More Madibaz magic in Matieland
The Madibaz continued their pursuit of a place in the Varsity Netball knockout phase as they beat NWU 49-47 in a pulsating affair at the Coetzenburg Indoor Centre on Monday.
Both teams knew a victory was vital if they were to keep their ambitions of a top-four finish alive and it was the Madibaz who scored first.
NWU rallied back, but they could not pull away from their opponents and finished the quarter with the score at 15-13.
They again created the smallest of margins but the Madibaz were tenacious and finished the quarter only a goal behind, NWU leading 24-23.
In the third quarter whenever one team would go ahead, the other team would draw even, and again it was NWU who had the lead at 34-32.
The final quarter was restarted and NWU scored first, and a power play was then called with them leading 37-34.
But it was the Madibaz who capitalised, outscoring NWU by three goals to one in the power play period.
This meant that for the first time in the quarter the Port Elizabeth side were leading and at 40-39 a victory was within touching distance.
With the score at 49-43, NWU made a late rally, narrowing the gap to 49-47, but the Madibaz held firm and recorded their second victory in succession in Stellenbosch.
NWU will face Kovsies in Bloemfontein, while the Madibaz host Maties at home, with both these games set to have a massive bearing on the final standings of the season.