Varsity Netball returned to action with the day’s action split over two venues, and UFS got the day’s action-packed fixtures underway with a commanding 79-26 victory over Madibaz Netball Rembrandt Hall in Hatfield, Pretoria, on Monday, 16 September, 2024.
The team from the Free State had a handle on the match from the get-go which saw them race to a 19-8 lead in Q1.
By halftime, Kovsies continued to dominate proceedings where their defense played a huge part in keeping their opponents at bay. The score was 35-12 when the teams resumed for Q3 and Kovsies showed no signs of slowing down as their goal scorers piled on the points. Kovsies then made sure they sealed a comprehensive win with their goal scorers showing just what they are made of.
Wits were in fine form as they walked over TUT 86-23 at the NWU Mafikeng Great Hall in Mahikeng, and was the Johannesburg team who led in Q1 and, despite missed chances, a big effort saw Wits score a whopping 26 points to take the score to 42-14 by halftime. It was much of the same in Q3 as they amassed a 66-21 lead, and going on to close off a tremendous performance with a massive victory.
At the same time but in the other venue, Tuks were up against Maties where the reigning champions fell to another defeat after their earlier 48-55 loss to the Maroon Machine.
The two teams went toe-to-toe in the first quarter and it was the Pretoria side who had a narrow lead of 14-11. It was hard to separate the two teams but it was the reigning champions who had their noses in front with a narrow 25-23 lead at the halfway mark.
After the resumption of play, however, the tables turned and Maties turned on the heat in Powerplay and finally took hold of the match for a 39-43 lead. The Maroon Machine was just too good for Tuks in the final quarter as the team from the Western Cape secured a memorable come-from-behind win.
In the final fixture of the day, NWU Netball hosted UJ and the match lived up to expectations as the visitors were 64-39 victors. It was only two goals that separated the two teams after Q1 with the score 11-13 in UJ’s favour.
The Orange Army were setting the pace as the match progressed and this saw them hold on to a 26-20 lead at halftime. It was in the third quarter that UJ took hold of the match and then took what was eventually an unassailable 44-28 lead. The Johannesburg team’s experience then shone through as they went on to easily seal the win and continue on their unbeaten run.
Results and Fixtures of the 2024 Varsity Netball Tournament
Sunday, 1 September at the Wits Sports Hall
Wits Netball 33-78 UFS Kovsies NetballUJ Netball 46-38 Maties NetballUP-Tuks Netball 96-9 TUT NetballNWU Netball 85-49 Madibaz Netball
Monday, 2 September at the Wits Sports Hall
UFS Kovsies Netball 62-54 NWU NetballTUT Netball 13-77 Maties NetballUJ Netball 72-35 Madibaz NetballWits Netball 49-64 UP-Tuks Netball
Sunday, 8 September at the Madibaz Sports Centre
Madibaz Netball 47-81 UP-Tuks NetballWits Netball 42-68 Maties NetballUJ Netball 51-46 UFS Kovsies NetballTUT Netball 17-75 NWU Netball
Monday, 9 September at the Madibaz Sports Centre
UJ Netball 59-42 Wits NetballNWU Netball 62-61 UP-Tuks NetballMaties Netball 45-56 UFS Kovsies NetballMadibaz Netball 71-25 TUT Netball
Monday, 16 September
Madibaz Netball 26-79 UFS Kovsies Netball (Rembrandt Hall)UP-Tuks Netball 48-55 Maties Netball (Rembrandt Hall)Wits Netball 86-24 TUT Netball (NWU Mafikeng Great Hall)NWU Netball 39-64 UJ Netball (NWU Mafikeng Great Hall)
Sunday, 22 September at the Callie Human Hall
13:00 UFS Kovsies Netball vs UP-Tuks Netball15:00 Maties Netball vs Madibaz Netball17:00 TUT Netball vs UJ Netball19:00 Wits Netball vs NWU Netball
Monday, 23 September at the Callie Human Hall
13:00 NWU Netball vs Maties Netball17:00 Madibaz Netball vs Wits Netball19:00 UFS Kovsies Netball vs TUT Netball
Monday, 30 September at Venue TBC
17:00 Semi-Final 1 TBC vs TBC19:00 Semi-Final 2 TBC vs TBC
Monday, 7 October at Venue TBC
19:00 Varsity Netball Final TBC vs TBC
Teams Contesting the 2024 Varsity Netball Tournament
NWU Netball – North West UniversityUP-Tuks Netball – University of PretoriaMaties Netball – University of StellenboschMadibaz Netball – Nelson Mandela UniversityUJ Netball – University of JohannesburgUFS Kovsies Netball – University of the Free StateWits Netball – University of WitwatersrandTUT Netball – Tshwane University of Technology
Main Photo Caption: UFS got the day’s action-packed fixtures underway with a commanding 79-26 victory over Madibaz Netball Rembrandt Hall in Hatfield, Pretoria, on Monday, 16 September, 2024. Photo: Varsity Netball
Photo 2 Caption: NWU Netball hosted UJ and the match lived up to expectations as the visitors were 64-39 victors in the final fixture of the day. Photo: Varsity Netball
Photo 3 Caption: Tuks were up against Maties where the reigning champions fell to another defeat after their earlier 48-55 loss to the Maroon Machine. Photo: Varsity Netball
Photo 4 Caption: Wits were in fine form as they walked over TUT 86-23 at the NWU Mafikeng Great Hall in Mahikeng. Photo: Varsity Netball
