The ladies from Potchefstroom, who were giving their extended squad some game time, had one singular target form the first whistle: collect the bonus-point for scoring 50 goals.
Last season the Pukke beat UCT 65-32 in the corresponding fixture and were looking to do the same at the Coetzenburg Indoor Centre on Monday evening. An early power play saw the Pukke quickly lead 15-4 before leading 21-6 after the first quarter.
The UCT girls were only able add add a single goal to their tally with the Pukke scoring 23 goals in the second quarter. The halftime score of 43-7 was a clear indication of the gulf of class between the two teams and UCT must have felt a sense of trepidation as play restarted after the break.
It took Pukke just over five minutes to reach their primary goal of scoring 50 goals and UCT could only add two in that time. A power play was called by the Cape Town girls but it was Pukke who scored three times to lead 61-9 after the two-minute period. Both teams scored three goals apiece before the end of the third quarter, with Pukke leading 64-12.
Pukke kept steadily adding to the scoreline with UCT only managing a handful of goals. The 68-14 on the board became 74-15 and when the final whistle went, the Pukke had recorded a 80-17 victory.
Pukke now face the Madibaz on Thursday at 17:30, knowing that their place in the semi-finals is secure and that they will want to settle on their strongest team ahead of the knockout stage. UCT finish their season with a trip to Johannesburg to battle UJ at the UJ Sports Hall on Monday 3 October.
FNB Player of the Match: Marna Claassens (Pukke)
Teams:
NWU-Pukke: Marna Claassens, Kifiloe Tsotetsi (Fifi), Jessica du Plessis, Marike Maree, Janke Visagie, Zandri Vermeulen, Nicole Amiras, Chanté Bester (Captain), Jeanté Strydom, Monique Reyneke, Ischke Van der Bergh, Simone Rabie.
UCT: Fortuna Bagula (Vice-captain); Paula Macnab; Phumi Shandu; Megan McCarley; Simone Peters (captain); Micaela Peters; Robyn Adams; Yeukai Chamba; Itseng Mogorosi; Marelise Coetzer; Marisa Du Preez; Natasha Jooste; Kirstie Macnab
By Dorfling Terblanche
