Basically everything that has gone wrong thus far for the Kovsies would have to improve if they are to upset the Maties in Stellenbosch on Thursday.
In recent history it very seldom happened that the Maties entered into a clash between the two as favourites, but this is exactly what they’ll be this time round. Kovsies have already suffered three losses (more than ever before), including two big ones to the hands of Tuks and Pukke as well as a first-ever loss in the competition against UJ.
Another proud record is one the line. Kovsies haven’t lost to the Stellenbosch students in the last decade. According to Kovsies’ Lefébre Rademan, a versatile player who plays wing attack, centre and goal attack, the two most important factors they’ll have to work on, are the power plays and the security of possession.
In both power plays against UJ (where goals count double), Johannesburg scored one more goal than the Kovsies. “That cost us. We simply have to be calmer in the power plays,” Rademan said. “We’ll have to keep our ball and trust one another. There were too many basic errors on Monday.
“The key is going to be to convert all our centre passes into goals. We’ll have to achieve this through decent ball placement and good decision making. It is important to know where the defenders are,” she said.
Apart from that the Kovsie shooters will have to be at their very best.
Gertriana Retief, goal shooter, can achieve high goal percentages, but struggles with her consistency. Against UJ she sunk a brilliant 88% of her attempts, but in the other two quarters only averaged 46%.
The 20-year-old Rademan, a former learner at Langenhoven High in Riversdale in the Western Cape, played goal defence at school. Last year she was converted to goal attack and centre. This year she was moved to wing attack in the place of Ané Botha who held the position for a number of years. The odd occasion when she was given game time at GA, Rademan made quite an impression.
“I enjoy playing wing attack. I know I can still improve a lot in that position. But wherever I get chosen I will give my best for the team.”
Kovsies team: Gertriana Retief, Rieze Straeuli, Danelle Lochner, Lefébre Rademan, Khanyisa Chawane, Mariska Pieters, Khomotso Mamburu (C), Rykie Venter, Frances Hurling, Chantene Borlinghaus, Deidre Fourie, Nonhlanhla Sikhakhane.
Previous meetings between Kovsies and Maties in Varsity Netball:
2015: Kovsies 41 – Maties 33
2014: Kovsies 56 – Maties 29
2013: Kovsies 56 – Maties 33
Last five meetings between Kovsies and Maties (all competitions):
2016: Kovsies 45 – Maties 42, Kovsies 61 – Maties 34
2015: Kovsies 41 – Maties 33, Kovsies 37 – Maties 35
2014: Kovsies 56 – Maties 29
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