BLOEMFONTEIN. It will be a home-town final for the Kovsie netball team who held strong against the determined team of the Stellenbosh University (Maties) in the semifinal of the Varsity Netball Cup on Monday, 22 September.
The Kovsie players will face the Eagles of the North-West University (NWU) in the final after the NWU dashed the dreams of the University of Johannesburg (UJ) by defeating them in Mahikeng with a 55 − 28 thrashing.
The last time Kovsies and the Eagles met in a final was in 2013 when Kovsies won by four goals. No doubt, the NWU would now love to avenge this defeat.
The NWU won the title in 2015 and 2016, while Kovsies will be looking to add a sixth trophy to their collection. Kovsies took home the trophy in 2013, 2014, 2018, 2021, and 2024.
For every final fixture the Kovsies entered, they emerged as the victor. All of these matches was under the leadership of the team’s world-respected head coach Burta de Kock.
Karla Pretorius (nèe Mostert) was the captain of the winning team in 2014. Pretorius was the player of the tournament in 2014 and 2015 and is now the attacking coach for the Kovsie team.
The NWU played in three finals in 2013, 2017, and 2022 where they ended as the runners-up.
The defending giants had history on their side but Maties arrived with unfinished business, still stung from their round seven collapse after leading by six points at halftime.
From the first whistle, the Maroon Machine looked to control possession, but Liame de Lange struck early with two interceptions before Kovsies netted their opener. Maties quickly realised there was no room for error. Under pressure, Kovsies fed off the home crowd to edge the first quarter 11 − 9.
Maties slowed the tempo in the next 15 minutes and grew in confidence as Hanna Kriel stayed deadly accurate. Yet Kovsies’ experience shone through, their senior players keeping the scoreboard ticking. By halftime they had pulled clear with a 24 − 16 lead.
The third quarter swung Maties’ way, with Kriel repeatedly escaping De Lange and Reratilwe Letsoalo’s long reach. Maties capitalised on the power play to narrow the gap, but Kovsies steadied to hold a 34 – 31 advantage heading into the final stretch.
The last quarter saw both teams disciplined under pressure. But when the power play arrived, Kovsies pounced, stretching their lead beyond reach. A late Maties goal proved only as consolation as the Bloemfontein side sealed a commanding 46 − 35 victory and their place in the final.
When Kovsies and the NWU met in the play-offs, Kovsies was the winning team with 83 − 59 on 8 September.
The final on Monday, 29 September, will take place at 19:00 in the Callie Human Hall on the main campus of the University of the Free State (UFS).
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