The final day of the Telkom Netball League Power Week 2 featured four matches, bringing an action-packed 10 days of netball at the Ellis Park Indoor Arena to a close.
The Kingdom Queens booked their place in the top four after holding off a determined Lilies outfit for a hard-fought 37-36 victory in a division two encounter. Despite having little left to play for in the competition, the Lilies pushed the Queens until the last whistle.
The opening quarter was a tightly contested affair, with both teams applying relentless defensive pressure and capitalising on turnovers when opportunities arose. While the Lilies looked relatively stronger on defence, a few costly errors allowed the Queens to stay in the game as the first quarter ended 9-9. The second quarter followed a similar pattern, with both sides looking to decrease their error rate. The Lilies relied on multiple short passes to work the ball into the shooting circle, while the Queens opted for a quicker approach on attack.
An intercept by wing defence Ashleigh Gray in the goal third helped the Lilies establish a three-goal lead midway through the quarter. However, a missed attempt under the post by Lilies goal shooter Josephine Mamabolo allowed the Queens to reduce the deficit before levelling matters from their centre pass. Another infringement against Queens wing attack Katelyn Van der Westhuizen handed the Lilies an opportunity to restore their three-goal lead, but Queens goal shooter Aphiwe Thusini converted a single shot during the super shot period to pull one back for the side as the Lilies led 19-17 at halftime.
The Queens responded strongly in the third quarter and equalised early before taking the lead after Gray was penalised for a footwork. Lilies goal defence Nolwazi Mathe suffered an injury and was replaced by Julia Sekwakwa, while Amukelani Kubayi took over the goalkeeper position. The defensive pressure intensified in the Queens’ shooting circle, with Sekwakwa and Kubayi applying constant pressure on shooter Thusini, who continued to shoulder much of the scoring responsibility. The Queens managed to go three goals up, but a two-pointer from Lilies goal attack Kgaugelo Ramafalo pulled one back for the Limpopo side, and they trailed by one goal at the end of the third quarter.
The deciding period delivered more drama as the Lilies drew level at 31-31 five minutes into the fourth quarter after converting from an interception. What followed was a tense conversion battle, with both teams slowing the tempo and making the most of their centre passes. The score was locked at 36-36 heading into the final super shot period, but Thusini’s one-point conversion proved decisive, handing the Queens a narrow one-goal victory.
SUNBIRDS FINISH ON A HIGH
Meanwhile, the Mpumalanga Sunbirds ended their campaign on a positive note with a 51-44 victory over the Comets, condemning the Eastern Cape side to their 12th defeat in the competition.
The opening exchanges were evenly contested but the Sunbirds gradually began to assert their dominance through a string of goals. The Comets struggled to maintain possession, with rushed feeds and unforced errors disrupting their momentum on attack. A contact call against goal shooter Xolisani Mantanga further compounded their woes as they found themselves chasing the game. The Sunbirds’ defensive pressure proved effective, limiting the Comets' scoring opportunities to such an extent that it took them five minutes to register their fourth goal of the quarter. As a result, the Mpumalanga outfit carried a 12-8 lead into the first break.
The Comets showed more intent in the second quarter, playing with confidence and matching the Sunbirds for long periods. Their improved ball movement and willingness to contest kept them in the game. However, the Sunbirds continued to find answers whenever the Comets threatened to close the gap, maintaining their composure on attack and shooting accuracy to lead 26-18 at halftime.
The Comets carried their improved form into the third quarter and continued to chip away at the deficit. Their attacking play was more measured, with greater care taken in possession and improved shooting accuracy allowing them to capitalise on scoring opportunities. Comets goal shooter Bianca Blom added a valuable two-pointer during super shot as the Comets outscored the Sunbirds 13-11 in the quarter, cutting the deficit to just four goals.
The fourth quarter was a closely contested affair, with both sides going goal-for-goal as the quarter score was level at 6-6 in the last eight minutes of the game. An overcooked pass from centre Lilitha Mosina intended for Blom handed the Sunbirds a crucial turnover, which they converted to take a five-goal lead. The Comets refused to back down with goal defence Amanda Mfulatelwa stealing an intercept in the circle, which helped reduce the gap to three goals. Despite creating opportunities to close the gap further, Blom was unable to convert two two-pointer attempts while Sunbirds added three single-point goals to secure a win.
TORNADOS SUCCUMB TO TSHUKUDU
The Tornados succumbed to their second defeat of the competition against Tshukudu, bringing an underwhelming end to Power Week 2. The match opened at a measured pace, with both teams trying to retain possession. Tornados centre Jani Bergh came up with a goal third intercept, but goal shooter Liandre Kriel couldn’t convert. From there, the Tornados gave away possession inside their shooting circle with Kriel and goal attack Mané Visser struggling to translate scoring opportunities into goals. Meanwhile, Tshukudu remained assertive on attack while goal shooter Mmampho Molefe and goal attack Molebogeng Moeketsane punished the Tornados with accurate shooting and impeccable conversions, giving Tshukudu an early 12-7 lead.
Tshukudu goalkeeper Jeané Visser secured three consecutive intercepts in the first five minutes of the second quarter as the side extended their lead to nine goals. Tornados coach Lucy Twani made four changes, which included a new shooting combination. Rehana Noah went on as goal shooter and Adri Kannemeyer moved from wing attack to goal attack, but the changes made no difference as the conversion struggles persisted. The North West side’s consistency in the first half earned them a seven-goal lead at halftime.
The Tornados delivered a much better performance in the third quarter and enjoyed their most scoring period of the match. They matched Tshukudu’s intensity for much of the quarter and showed greater purpose on attack, scoring 10 goals. Molefe scored a two-pointer and Moeketsane scored two single shots during the super shot period for Tshukudu, while goal attack Visser missed three two-pointer attempts as the Tornados trailed by 10 goals ahead of the final quarter.
The Tornados continued to fight until the final whistle and had a different approach in the last quarter. The Western Cape side resorted to using multiple passes through the centre third to create scoring opportunities. Despite their efforts, they still faced a nine-goal deficit with five minutes remaining, leaving themselves with too much ground to make up. Tshukudu’s defensive unit remained resolute under pressure, denying any hopes of a late comeback. As a result, the Tornados were forced to settle for their second defeat and lost 44-35.
Away from the standings, Zambezi Eagles from Zimbabwe will take plenty of positives from their participation in Division One, where they competed as part of their preparations for the World Cup qualifiers in Kenya later in the year. Facing some of the country’s strongest teams, the Eagles claimed three wins from seven matches, including a 63-57 victory over the Stings.
RESULTS:
Lilies 36-37 Queens
Sunbirds 51-44 Comets
Stings 57-63 Zambezi Eagles
Tshukudu 44-35 Tornados