Kovsies coach Burta de Kock has lauded her players for their performance in the semifinals of the Varsity Netball tournament.
The team from the University of the Free State beat the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University 61-49 on Monday in Stellenbosch in the knock out stages to book their place in next week’s final against NWU Pukke in Potchefstroom
It was a more rounded Kovsie team that stood up to the challenge, after they lost to the same Madibaz side in the last group game in Maties indoor centre on Sunday. Now the Kovsie team will travel to Puk country to try and overthrow the favourites for the title.
“I am very proud of the girls. We were under immense pressure after losing to NMMU in the last group game. But the girls pulled it together and pitched with a very good mental attitude. That made a huge difference to their approach and to the score board in the end,” De Kock said.
Like other teams, Kovsies have to make due without their Proteas players, who are involved with the current triangular series against England and Trinidad and Tobago. In their absence however, youngsters like Elsjé Oosthuizen and Lauren-Lee Christians have really put their hands up.
“Some of our less experienced players showed that we can call on them to fill the void that the absence of Maryka Holtzhausen, Adéle Niemand and Karla Mostert has left us with. I think they did tremendously well, specially on defence. We had more than enough discipline on the attack and the girls kept a cool head when we were on the defensive,” De Kock said.
Travelling to Potchefstroom to take on the unbeaten Puk in the final is by no means a small ask and therefore De Kock and the rest of her management team will put every effort in to ensure that Kovsies will be up for the challenge both mentally and physically.
“We are going to give the players some much needed rest. We are going to work on the mental aspects of the game as well as focus individually on each player.
“I am lucky that I have Karin Venter as assistant coach and Corné Marais as team manager. They help me a great deal and take a lot of the pressure of. It is great to have them in our camp. Hopefully we can all end the year on a high by claiming the title,” De Kock added.
Kovsies will this week be able to call on the services of experienced centre Carine Terblanche. The latter missed out on the last couple of games in Stellenbosch due to exams, but will be available for selection when De Kock decides on her team of 12 players for the final.
