Gauteng North picked themselves up after their shock defeat to Dr Kenneth Kaunda (North West South) with two decisive victories on the fourth day of the SPAR National Netball Championships, at the Bellville Velodrome on Thursday.
(Scroll down for Days 1, 2, 3 and 4 Results at the 2014 SPAR National Championships, or click here to read the Day 3 tournament wrap)
They thumped Umgungundlovu 75-26 in the morning, and then handed defending champions Mangaung Metro (Free State) their second defeat, beating them 74-44, to continue their march to the final on Saturday.
Barring major upsets, the final is likely to be between Gauteng North and Kenneth Kaunda.
“We didn’t want to feel like we did after losing yesterday,” said captain Amanda Mynhardt. “We talked long and hard about where we went wrong, and we knew that we had to bring extra energy to the court today.”
“We’ve got our campaign back on track again,” said coach Jenny van Dyk. “I told the players that playing in the final is not a right but a privilege that has to be earned. I was happy with the way they played today, but we still have two games to go and we can’t lose focus now.”
“It looks as if we will play Kenneth Kaunda in the final, and that would suit us, because we have a score to settle.”
Gauteng North were dominant throughout the match, with speed, accuracy, slick passes and good understanding among the players.
The Free State shooters were generally accurate, but were not given enough ball in the circle. At halftime, Gauteng North led 32-20, and stretched their lead still further in the third quarter.
In the final quarter, Van Dyk made a number of changes and the Free State players fought back hard, losing the quarter by just three goals. But it was too little, too late and the champions now face the probability of not reaching the final.
“We’re very disappointed, but bad decision-making cost us the game,” said Mangaung Metro captain Lauren-Lee Christians. “We don’t have much chance of making the final, so now we have to set new goals and focus on finishing third.”
Mangaung won their other match, beating Buffalo City 61-36.
Kenneth Kaunda retained their unbeaten record, beating Frances Baard (Griqualand West) 63-28 and Buffalo City 53-25. They play Mangaung Metro and Western Province in their final games, and on current form should have no difficulty disposing of them.
Nelson Mandela Bay notched up two wins, beating Western Province 38-30 and Umgungundlovu 42-39, while Gauteng West got their first win with a narrow 59-57 victory over Frances Baard. In a provincial derby, Boland beat neighbours Western Cape 33-28.
Earlier, they defeated Gauteng West by 67 goals to 21.
Results from Day Four of the SPAR National Netball Championships played at the Velodrome Bellville on Thursday, 14 August 2014: A Section: Mangaung Metro 61 Buffalo City 36 Dr Kenneth Kaunda 63 Frances Baard 28 Gauteng North A 75 Umgungundlovu 26 Nelson Mandela Bay 38 Western Province A 30 Boland A 67 Gauteng West 21 Mangaung Metro 44 Gauteng North 74 Dr Kenneth Kaunda 53 Buffalo City 25 Boland A 33 vs Western Province A 28 Nelson Mandela Bay 42 vs Ungungundlovu 39 Gauteng West 59 vs Frances Baard 57 B Section: Nkangala 54 Capricorn 34 Boland B 65 Central Boland 29 Eden 45 Royal Bafokeng 41 West Coast A 75 Ilembe 26 Gauteng North B 57 Vhembe 29 Bojanala 37 Zululand 53 Nkangala 47 Eden 36 Gert Sibande 66 Central Boland 46 Boland B 69 Capricorn 29 Vhembe 44 Ilembe 28 Western Province B 63 vs West Coast A 42 Gauteng North B 77 vs Bojanala 35 C Section: Waterberg 28 Sisonke 37 Ethekwini 28 OR Tambo 33 Western Province C 56 UGU 17 Ehlanzeni 48 Siyanda 45 West Coast B 34 NM Molema 42 Alfred Nzo 35 Amajuba 30 Uthungulu 49 SANDF 25 Ehlanzeni 41 Waterberg 37 Western Province C 28 Ethekwini 58 Siyanda 48 OR Tambo 39 Sisonke 49 UGU 13 Uthungulu 53 vs Alfred Nzo 23 SANDF 30 vs SAPS 44 Results from Day Three of the SPAR National Netball Championships played at the Velodrome Bellville on Wednesday, 13 August 2014: A Section: Dr Kenneth Kauda 72 Gauteng West 28 Nelson Mandela Bay 36 Baffalo City 38 Mangaung Metro 47 Western Province A 38 Frances Baard 51 Umgungundlovu 59 Gauteng North A 62 Boland A 39 Mangaung Metro 51 Nelson Mandela Bay 38 Gauteng North A 45 Dr Kenneth Kauda 56 Gauteng West 43 Umgungundlovu 50 Boland A vs Frances Baard Western Province A vs Buffalo City B Section: Eden 60 Central Boland 52 Ehlanzeni 44 Sisonke 39 West Coast B 17 SANDF 39 Nkangala 44 Royal Bafokeng 32 Gauteng North B 56 Western Province B 50 Vhembe 31 Zululand 48 Gert Sibande 48 Capricorn 19 Bojanala 43 Ilembe 39 Boland B 55 Eden 31 Western Province B 62 Vhembe 33 C Section: Amajuba 39 NM Molema 39 Waterberg 44 OR Tambo 38 Western Province C 34 Siyanda 39 Uthungulu 46 SAPS 45 SANDF 46 Amajuba 29 Alfred Nzo 42 NM Molema 38 Ehlanzeni 44 Western Province C 27 Results from Day Two of the SPAR National Netball Championships played at the Velodrome Bellville on Tuesday, 12 August 2014: A Section: Mangaung Metro 65 Gauteng West 44 Dr Kenneth Kauda 56 Umgungundlovu 35 Gauteng North A 71 Nelson Mandela Bay 31 Western Province A 53 Frances Baard 27 Boland A 54 Buffalo City 41 Gauteng North A 89 vs Gauteng West 16 Dr Kenneth Kauda 43 vs Nelson Mandela Bay 28 Western Province A 36 vs Umgungundlovu 30 Mangaung Metro 37 Boland A 41. B Section: Western Province B 61 Ilembe 26 Bojanala 39 Vhembe 37 West Coast A 32 Zululand 45 Eden 38 Gert Sibande 40 Capricorn 29 Royal Bafokeng 51 Boland B 50 vs Nkangala 33 Zululand 52 vs Ilembe 20 Gauteng North B 69 vs West Coast A 35 Gert Sibande 34 vs Royal bafokeng 37 Western Province B 61 vs Bojanala 39 Capricorn 30 vs Central Boland 52 C Section: Ehlanzeni 59 UGU 15 Western Province 31 OR Tambo 31 Waterberg 58 Siyanda 32 Ethekwini 50 Sisonke 28 Uthungulu 48 Amajuba 47 SANDF 31 NM Molema 30 West Coast B 16 vs SAPS 51 Sisonke 31 vs OR Tambo 29 Siyada 66 vs UGU 23 Western Province C 28 vs Waterburg 54 Ehlanzeni 37 vs Ethekwini 68 Alfred Nzo 22 vs SAPS 65 West Coast B 18 vs Uthungulu 49 Results from Day One of the SPAR National Netball Championships played at the Velodrome Bellville on Monday, 11 August 2014: A Section: Frances Baard 48 Buffalo City 48 Nelson Mandela Bay 41 Gauteng West 21 Mangaung Metro 61 Frances Baard 32 Gauteng North A 48 Western Province 31 Dr Kenneth Kaunda 54 Boland A 44 Umgungundlovu 46 Buffalo City 35 B Section: West Coast A 41 Vhembe 24 Nkangala 35 Gert Sibande 39 Boland B 38 Royal Bafokeng 32 Gauteng North B 73 Ilembe 14 Eden 70 Capricorn 26 Western Province B 41 Zululand 30 Nkangala 55 Central Boland 45 West Coast A 50 Bojanala 27 C Section: NM Molema 27 SAPS 50 OR Tambo 51 UGU 14 Ethekwini 56 Waterberg 32 Ehlanzeni 38 OR Tambo 34 Ethekwini 49 Siyanda 20 Amajuba 26 SAPS 48 Boland 27 Gert Sibande 23 Waterberg 74 UGU 20 Uthungulu 40 NM Molema 21 SANDF 47 Alfred Nzo 23
Photo 1 caption: Tshina Mdau of Gauteng North in action against Umgungundlovu during day 4 of the Spar National Netball Championships at Bellville Velodrome on August 14, 2014 in Cape Town. Photo: Reg Caldecott
Photo 2 caption: Melissa Myburgh of Gauteng North in action against Umgungundlovu, which ended 75-26 in favour of the likely finalists. Gauteng North’s earlier 74-44 win against Mangaung Metro made it a perfect 2-0 on the day. Photo: Reg Caldecott
Photo 3 caption: Zante Campher of Dr Kenneth Kaunda in action against Frances Baard on Day 4. The team formerly known as North West South also racked up double wins on the day for the uncontested title of the sole remaining undefeated team at this year’s competition, setting themselves up as strong candidates to contest the final against Gauteng North. Photo: Reg Caldecott
(With editing by gsport)
(0 rating, 0 votes, rated)
Loading...
