CHAD JOHNSTON
TuksNetball celebrated their heritage day by booking their spot in the semi-finals of the Varsity Netball competition. The ladies will face Maties Netball in a repeat of round four of the competition in which UP won 48-46 after a scoreboard error was contested and overturned.
In round six, UP thrashed VUT Netball 87-22 to claim their sixth win of the competition. The UP ladies dominated the game taking an 18-6 lead after the first quarter. At halftime, UP had sailed to an unassailable lead of 39 points to 9. At the beginning of the second half, UP scored immediately and took the quarter by a resounding 44 points. In the last quarter, UP was ruthless with their clinical shooting and fast paced play which VUT had no reply to.
UP were boosted by the return of their Proteas star shooter Ine-Marí Venter, who played her first Varsity Netball match against UJ on 11 September. Venter said to Varsity Sports that she gained invaluable knowledge while training with the national team, even though she has yet to make her national debut. Venter has shown her class thus far in the competition, by netting most of her goal attempts against UJ, VUT and UWC and walked away with the Samsung best shot award in the game against UWC.
In round seven, UP were in breath-taking form against UWC Netball as they eased to another comfortable victory in the Rembrandt hall on heritage day. Goal Defence (GS) Shadine van der Merwe deservedly walked away with the FNB Player of the Match award for her sterling defensive work.
In the first quarter UWC competed well and restricted UP to a 20-12 lead. However, UP found their feet and dominated the second and third quarters. In the final quarter, UP used their power plays well and the match ended 90-35 in favour of the hosts.
UP will host the semi-final against Maties on 2 October in the Rembrandt Hall. The game begins at 17:00. The other semi-final sees log leaders NWU Netball take on UFS Kovsies Netball at the Callie Human hall at UFS. The final will take place on 9 October.
Photo: Stefan Stander.
