The Kovsies suffered their third loss in the 2016 season of Varsity Netball when they went down 52-59 to the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in the Rembrand Hall in Pretoria on Monday.
This was the very first time UJ defeated the two-time champions and is their first win since 2012 over the Free State students. Both teams earned a bonus point for scoring 50 goals and the Kovsies managed a second one for losing by seven or less goals.
In an ill-littered affair where the quality and urgency was lacking quite badly, there was very little to choose between the teams with UJ’s goal shooting the big difference. Between Deancke Rhode (FNB player of the match) and Kim-roché Holmes, goal shooter and goal attack respectively, they managed to convert 92% of their 59 attempts. In comparison the Kovsies shooters could only get 69% of their attempts through the net. The Kovsies had 12 more goal attempts in total.
Both sides opted to use their goal shooters to do the majority of the shooting. The first quarter ended deadlocked at 13 all, so did the second quarter at 26 apiece. Although Kovsies started like a house on fire, scoring the first five goals of the encounter and looking the stronger of the two in the third quarter leading by five goals again, they were too inconsistent and had no answer to the strong attack of UJ.
Where Leigh-Ann Smal, coach of UJ, stuck with her same team throughout, Burta de Kock of Kovsies made a couple of changes which did not bring the result she would have hoped for.
In Gertriana Retief and Danelle Lochner in the shooting circle for the last two quarters, they were simply too predictable and lacked a goal attack with quick feet to bring some creativity and variety.
The lack of experience in the Kovsie side was evident on the day and some cool heads were clearly missing.
FNB Player of the Match: Deancke Rhode (UJ)
Teams:
UJ: Deancke Rohde (C), Kim-roché Holmes, Ntombizodwa Yengwa, Nhlamulo Mhlari, Angelique Molefe, Jodie Brown, Christell Botha, Courtney Davis, Karabo Mokoena, Nompumelelo Mbonambi, Ntokozo Ramaremisa, Lebogang Malahlela, Tanya Liechterkost
Kovsies: Gertriana Retief, Rieze Straeuli, Danelle Lochner, Lefébre Rademan, Khanyisa Chawane, Mariska Pieters, Khomotso Mamburu (C), Rykie Venter, Frances Hurling, Chantene Borlinghaus, Deidre Fourie, Nonhlanhla Sikhakhane.
