The opening weekend of the Varsity Netball tournament got off to a great start for the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) Senior Women’s Netball Team on Sunday, 23 and Monday, 24 August 2026 in the Western Cape.
Playing at the Coetzenburg Centre at the Stellenbosch University (SU Maties), UJ launched their Varsity Netball campaign in electric fashion securing back-to-back victories with a thrilling 46-39 statement win over the host side. They returned on Monday to hand the newly promoted Central University of Technology (CUT) a convincing 57-36 defeat.
Head Coach Bongiwe Msomi’s squad wasted no time laying down the gauntlet, walking away from Bumper Weekend 1 with eight vital points to set a dominant tone for the season ahead.
UJ’s defensive unit proved paramount across both fixtures. In the opener against SU Maties, veteran defender Boitumelo Mahloko paired up with Captain and Goal Keeper Cornelia Mupenda to disrupt the hosts’ attack. Mahloko’s standout effort earned her the FNB Player of the Match accolade.
Reflecting on the opening clash, Mahloko highlighted both the team’s resilience and areas for growth, “I think we’ve done well but started relaxing as the game progressed, and that’s something that I think we must correct in future games. We must be consistent through all our quarters. I’m really proud of the girls – it’s a new team with new players mixing with seniors, and I’m proud of our debutants’ performances.”
That momentum carried seamlessly into day two against Bloemfontein outfit CUT. Coach Msomi rotated the squad to give the team’s debutants extended court time, and rookie Goal Keeper Amara Agbai seized the opportunity, claiming UJ’s second consecutive FNB Player of the Match award for a stellar defensive display.
Agbai shared her excitement following her debut in Orange Army colours, “I’m very proud of the team and my performance today. It was very important for us to finish the opening games on a good note. Although we won against Maties in the opening game, we were not happy with our performance, and we had to make up for that by coming into the second game to deliver as best as we could. My combination with Tumi worked well today, and I’m excited to see how it’s going to unfold going forward.”
UJ currently sits second on the tournament log standings, tied on eight points with log leaders North-West University (NWU) and separated only by goal difference after two rounds.
All eyes now turn to Bumper Weekend 2 at the Callie Human Hall at the University of Free State in Bloemfontein, where UJ will face NWU in a crucial top-of-the-table clash on 30 August, followed by a Johannesburg derby against Wits University on 31 August.
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