Stings too strong for Sunbirds
The Western Cape Southern Stings were, as expected, too strong for the Mpumalanga Sunbirds, winning their penultimate match of the Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League (BFNPL) group stage by 64-25.
The quarter scores were 16-5, 32-10 and 45-18, with that the Stings recorded their seventh win (from eight matches) to move up to 14 log points, equal with the North West Flames, the Gauteng North Jaguars and the Gauteng Golden Fireballs. All have one more match to play.
It was always going to be a question of what the margin of victory in the Mangaung Indoor Complex in Bloemfontein would be, but that wasn’t necessarily the aim of Annelie Lucas, coach of the Stings.
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She used the match to test out a number of combinations before their crucial match against the Flames on Sunday which will determine which of the two qualifies for the semi-final and which has to play out in a quarter-final next weekend.
The top two teams automatically qualify for the semi’s and enjoys a buy next weekend.
Captain Rochelle Lawson, who played most of the competition on goal defence and Juline Rossouw, mostly on wing defence, swopped places for the match.
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Lawson impressed and got rewarded with the player of the match award – her fifth in the four years of the BFNPL.
Phumza Maweni on goal defence was another change Lucas tried out.
The fitness levels of the Stings showed towards the end, although Palesa Mbukwana, goalkeeper of the Sunbirds, never stopped trying.
This was the final game in the group stage for the Sunbirds and with only one win (over the Diamonds) they will finish in ninth place on the log.
