The NWU netball team gave up their all in the Varsity Netball semi-final against Kovsies today, but came up just short in a thrilling 66-65 defeat.
The match could have gone either way as the evenly contested encounter saw both teams swap the lead throughout the 60 minutes. The NWU had a 34-30 lead at half-time, but an astute third quarter from Kovsies gave them a two point lead with 15 minutes to go.
Kovsies managed to keep on to the lead winning by the slimmest of margins in a frenetic final quarter. The NWU can keep their heads high after delivering their best in a tight match that was a far cry from the round robin match that Kovsies ran away with.
Elmeré van der Berg was once again the NWU’s main threat in the circle as she banged in the goals to keep her side in line for a spot in the final. Credit must also be given to an improved performance on defence from the NWU side with Nicolene van Heerden and Caitlinn Rousseau giving their all.
On Kovsies’ side, former NWU player, Claudia van den Berg also showcased her goal scoring ability to keep the Bleomfonteiners in contention.
Khanyisa Chawane was one of the standout players for Kovsies and was named as the player of the match. The NWU now face Tuks tomorrow to decide who will take third place in the 2021 Varsity Netball tournament.
NWU had previously beaten the Pretoria side and will want to complete the double to end their tournament on a high.
