The opening day of the 2023 edition of the Telkom Netball League saw a repeat of last year’s promotion/relegation match between the Kingdom Stars and the Eastern Cape Aloes. The Stars were meant to play in Division Two this season following their defeat in the playoff match, but they managed to dodge that bullet and remain in the top division after two new teams were added to the league this year.
Both sides had a point to prove, but a closely contested first half only saw the Stars lead by a narrow two goals. Stars’ Goal Defense Thulisile Maduna stole the show defensively, with some crucial intercepts, but the high turnover rate made it difficult for the KZN outfit to increase their lead. The Aloes were despondent in the championship quarter, allowing the Stars’ smothering pressure to get to them and only scoring just four goals.
The Stars’ defensive trio of Nozipho Ntshangase (Goal Keeper), Maduna (Goal Defense) and Sidney Coetzee (Wing Defense) continued to stifle Sameshia Esau’s attack in the final quarter. Esau was forced to make some uncharacteristic, wholesome changes, none of which could quite stamp out the Stars’ grasp of the game. The Kingdom Stars got their campaign underway with a great start after beating last year’s division two champions 41-32.
Meanwhile, debutants Limpopo Lilies opened their campaign against the Northern Cape Diamonds on home soil at the Ngoako Ramatlhodi Sports Complex in the opening game this morning. The Lilies were valiant throughout the game, but a high error rate yielded to a 39-52 defeat. Former Tornados duo Seneste Ponie and Courtleigh Behr, who played Centre and Goal Attack respectively, made their debut for the Diamonds and mastered their roles effortlessly to steer the Northern Cape side to victory.
The Free State Sonoblomo, one of the two new teams added this year, showed character against the Kingdom Queens even though they fell short by four goals in the end. Sonoblomo gave up a 6-1 lead in the opening quarter when the Queens found their footing to restore parity and drew level. Both teams refused to back down, with only one goal separating the two sides in the second and third quarters. Despite the Queens having many new faces in the team and a new coach, Magda Du Plessis, their experience still pulled through at the end and earned them a 41-32 victory.