Strong start for NMMU netball
THE Madibaz got their varsity netball campaign off to a solid start with bonus points from both matches in the Varsity Netball Tournament opening rounds in Stellenbosch on Sunday and Monday.
On Sunday, the Madibaz suffered a narrow 38-42 defeat to hosts Maties before trouncing UCT 55-23 on Monday night to claim maximum points for their first win.
The team from Port Elizabeth are now third, behind defending champions Kovsies, with USSA winners Tuks topping the log.
NNMU head coach and former Spar Proteas player Dumisane Chauke said: “We set goals for each quarter and then ticked all the boxes.
“That’s how the girls have been able to sustain such a brilliant performance throughout the weekend,” Chauke said.
However, she cautioned against overconfidence and setting the bar unrealistically high so early in the tournament.
“If we can keep the momentum going and only get better, then a top-four is definitely something on the horizon. But we don’t want to put any pressure on ourselves right now and just take it one game at a time.”
Chauke attributed the Maties loss to first game jitters and said the score line had not been an accurate reflection of how the match had played out.
“We were leading for most of the game. In the third quarter we had a lapse of concentration and that’s when they came back.”
Trailing by 10 goals at one point, the Madibaz fought back to within four points of the hosts.