Madibaz continued on their winning ways with a come-from-behind victory over NWU in round 2 of Varsity Netball 2025 at the Maties Coetzenburg Indoor Centre in Stellenbosch. UJ avenged their loss in last year’s final with a narrow victory over defending champions UFS Kovsies. UP-Tuks beat Varsity College and Maties sneaked past Wits for a hometown victory.
UFS KOVSIES 50 - 53 UJ
UJ stunned defending champions UFS Kovsies in a thrilling encounter, overturning a late deficit to secure a close victory in Bloemfontein.
The match lived up to the hype from the opening whistle, with last year’s finalists going goal for goal in a fiercely contested first quarter. Just a single strike separated the sides at the break with Kovsies holding a narrow 12-11 advantage.
The champions began to flex their muscle in the second quarter, with Xandri Fourie pulling the strings in midcourt and supplying her shooters with precision. UJ struggled to contain her influence, and Kovsies stretched their lead to four goals at halftime, 27-23.
But the Orange Army refused to fade. UJ regrouped in the third quarter, upping the tempo and capitalising on Kovsies’ errors. Their persistence paid off as they cut the deficit to just two goals heading into the final quarter, 41-39, setting up a tense final 15 minutes.
The decisive moment came in the dying minutes during the Suzuki Powerplay. UJ kept their composure under pressure, sinking crucial shots while shutting down Kovsies’ attack. In dramatic scenes, UJ sealed a tremendous comeback, toppling the reigning champions in front of a stunned crowd.
Quarter scores: 12-11|27-23|41-39|50-53
Player of the match: Cornelia Mupenda (UJ)
UFS Kovsies: Liame de Lange, Thina Speelman, Elri Groenewald, Reratilwe Letsoalo, Elene Vosloo, Xandri Fourie, Rolene Streutker, Charne van Vuuren, Chanique Eyberg, Mari du Raan, Thando Mokoena.
UJ: Sesandile Ngubane, Kubura Abubakar, Makayla Edgecomb, Tarle Mathe, Minette Erasmus, Luyanda Msomi, Yanke Broodryk, Kamogelo Motsepe, Cornelia Mupenda, Sli Ngcobo, Tassnique Norman.
VARSITY COLLEGE 35 - 53 UP-TUKS
UP-Tuks shook off a slow start to claim a convincing 53-35 victory over newcomers Varsity College.
The opening quarter was a scrappy affair, with both sides guilty of early errors. While Tuks began to settle into a rhythm, Varsity College showed resilience and stayed in touch, trailing just 14-9 at the first break.
In the second quarter, the newcomers grew in confidence, going goal for goal with the Stripe Generation. Tuks looked increasingly frustrated, unable to pull clear, as Varsity College matched their intensity and belief. At halftime, the deficit remained a manageable five, with the scoreboard reading 23-18 in Tuks’ favour.
However, the former champions found their composure after the break. A decisive third quarter saw Tuks rediscover their attacking fluency while tightening their defence, restricting Varsity College to only eight goals. By the end of the quarter, the Pretoria side had built a commanding 39-26 advantage.
From there, Tuks stamped their authority, finishing strongly to secure the win. While the Stripe Generation redeemed themselves with a polished second half, Varsity College earned admiration for their spirited debut performance against one of the tournament’s giants.
Quarter scores: 9-14|18-23|26-39|35-53
Player of the match: Marichelle Visagie (UP-Tuks)
Varsity College: Adri Kannemeyer, Robyn Hathaway, Andrea Van der Merwe, Casey Weber, Sara Feintuch, Olukemi Amarachi Akuma Agbai, Elzaan Smith, Allison Nola Beck, Sikanyiso Mtshwepe, Stacey-Lee Feris, Caitlin Rose Cunningham, Liane Hanekom.
UP-Tuks: Georgia de Jongh, Zionné Grobler, Megan Holland, Elri Jacobs, Juané Kruger, Devonne Lansberg, Thando Ngcobo, Caroline Paul, Anja van den Heever, Venece van Vollenhoven, Marichelle Visagie, Jamie Williamson.
NWU 48 – 52 MADIBAZ
Madibaz pulled off another magical comeback, stunning NWU in a thrilling encounter that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
The opening quarter belonged entirely to NWU, who looked sharp in both attack and defence. The Eagles forced Madibaz into repeated errors and raced into a commanding 13-6 lead. At that point, it seemed Madibaz might struggle to match the intensity they showed in their big win over UP-Tuks.
But true to their fighting spirit, Madibaz clawed their way back into the contest. By halftime they had rattled NWU’s composure, closing the gap to just three goals at 22-19, and showing flashes of the confidence that has made them the tournament’s giant slayers.
The third quarter was a seesaw battle, with the scores tied at one point. However, NWU regrouped and restored a four-goal cushion, heading into the decisive period 35-31 ahead.
Then came the Madibaz magic. In a stunning final quarter, they seized control with clinical finishing and made the most of the Suzuki Powerplay to surge ahead. NWU had no answer, and Madibaz sealed another unforgettable victory to continue their fairytale run.
Quarter scores: 13-6|22-19|35-31|48-52
Player of the match: Keagile Magadla (Madibaz)
NWU: Sunel Smit, Jaime Matfield, Andrya Joubert, Tlotlang Mokomela, Jessica Matjiu, Johanné Meyer, Amori Matthee, Casey Davids, Christi-Mari Coetzee, Martiné Jordaan, Vivian Venancio, Jeané Visser.
Madibaz: Kaylin Coetzer, Juanita van Tonder, Bronwyn Goosen, Hanniska van Vuuren, Simone Louw, Keagile Magadla, Luyanda Tsotetsi, Mbali Gunyazile, Edon Snyman, Kelly du Toit, Samuelinah Ndizana, Inge van Eyk.
MATIES 51 - 50 WITS
Varsity Netball 2025 once again delivered high drama as Maties edged Wits by a single point in front of a buzzing home crowd in Stellenbosch.
The game began with Wits seizing the early momentum, silencing the Maroon Machine with sharp attacking play to claim a 14-12 lead at the first break. The visitors looked confident, throwing down the gauntlet in the lion’s den.
Maties, however, regrouped impressively in the second quarter. After making several key changes, the home side turned the tide with a clinical display, finding their rhythm in attack while tightening up on defence. Their composure paid off as they opened up an eight-goal advantage to lead 31-23 at halftime.
The third quarter continued in the same vein, with Maties stretching their lead to 44-34. At that stage, the result looked all but settled, as Wits struggled to replicate the spark they had shown in the opening minutes.
But Varsity Netball rarely follows the script. Wits launched a stunning comeback in the final quarter, clawing back all of Maties’ advantage to level the score. With the crowd on its feet, the Maroon Machine held their nerve in the dying seconds to snatch a one-point victory.
Quarter scores: 12-14|31-23|44-34|51-50
Player of the match: Juane Maass (Maties)
Maties: Hannah Kriel, Michelle van der Merwe, Lara Steenkamp, Hannah Olivier, Lara Ehlers, Lize Rossouw, Syntiche Kabuya, Juane Maass, Kristen Mc Gregor, Thabisa Yekani, Bianca Odendaal, Chloe Parsadh.
Wits: Alix Horn, Amber Marshall, Ametisse Bandu, Giada Prinsloo, Luane Smith, Mikhe van der Watt, Nomhle Hope Sibiya, Oratile Mokone, Philasande Ntuli, Shani Mokken, Zanele Soviya, Phozisa Ramncwana.