For the second consecutive year, the University of Johannesburg (UJ) has made it to the final of the FNB Varsity Netball tournament. This comes after the Joburg side eliminated North West University (NWU-Mafikeng) with a 55-48 final score in the semifinal at Callie Human Hall in Bloemfontein, Free State on Monday night, 30 September 2024.
In this 2024 edition, UJ beat NWU-Mafikeng twice in Mahikeng and Bloemfontein. The two teams also met in the semifinal last year, where UJ also knocked the NWU-Mafikeng team out of the tournament.
The Orange Army, (UJ) will face the University of Free State (UFS-Kovsies) in the final on Monday, 7 October. Leading up to the final, UJ lost just one match in eight fixtures, against the University of Pretoria (UP-Tuks) on Monday, 23 September.
UJ and UFS met in round three during the round robin stage in Gqeberha where UJ won 51-46.
UFS-Kovsies eliminated UP-Tuks in the semifinal with a 62-52 final score in the second semifinal after the UJ-NWU match.
The game shifted into a new gear in the third quarter and the pace and cheering increased. Both teams matched each other during UJ’s powerplay, collecting four points each. The Orange Army stretched their lead with another goal though and went into the final quarter with the scoreboard 40-34 in their favour.
NWU left their powerplay for the last quarter of the match. They came within striking distance in their attempts to overhaul UJ, only to see victory and a place in the final slip away. UJ managed to stay a few steps ahead to seal an important 55-48 victory.
Scores: Q1 14-10 | Q2 25-20 | Q3 40-34 | Q4 55-48
Goal Shooter Muhluri Hlatshwayo was voted Player of the Match after a 100% shooting spree.
In 2023, UJ finished as runners-up to UP-Tuks, after the game ended in a 52-all draw, which ended in extra-time.
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