Oos-Moot edge Klofies in thrilling Suzuki Netball Power Series clash
Oos-Moot’s captain and goal assist, Lana Love, led her side to a hard-fought 31-30 victory over Hoërskool Waterkloof in their Suzuki Netball Power Series encounter on Wednesday. This match also doubled up as a Tshwane Jubilee League encounter.
Love was on fire, keeping the scoreboard rolling with her shooting and keeping her team fired up throughout the encounter. She was deservedly named Food Lovers Market Player of the Match for her performance on the day.
Klofies led by 8-5 after the opening quarter, thanks to some enterprising play by centre, Leandri van Staden, and wing attack, Zoë Roos. On top of that, Waterkloof has a formidable goal shooter in Fortune Cletus-Okolo, who has no problem scoring once she receives possession.
Klofies’ lead would have been bigger if it were not for the outstanding defence by Mia Steenkamp (goalkeeper).
By half-time, Oos-Moot had turned the tide, leading 15-13. Only leaking five goals thanks to Steenkamp’s performance on defence. One turnover of possession by Steenkamp in the second quarter swung the pendulum in her side’s favour and was named the Suzuki Game Changer Moment of the match.
In turn, the home side scored ten goals in the second quarter, with Love receiving some good assistance from Jaime Marshall (centre) and Telana Breytenbach (wing attack).
Waterkloof clawed back in the third quarter to draw the scores level at 23-all with everything to play for in the final quarter of the match.
This was Oos-Moot’s second successive victory over Klofies after also defeating them by 16-14 during last year’s Tshwane play-offs to secure themselves a place at the Gauteng Championship.
The team from the Moot also performed well earlier this year at the Affie Prestige-tournament, as they were knocked out in the play-offs of the main draw by the losing finalist, Hoërskool Stellenberg of Bellville.
This clash once again highlighted why the Jubilee League is regarded as the toughest schools’ league in South Africa.
Another three clashes in the Suzuki Netball Power Series will take place later this week. On Friday, Hoërskool Garsfontein will host the Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool of Pretoria, with play starting at 17:20.
Two Suzuki Netball Power Series are scheduled for Saturday in Paarl, with Paarl Gimnasium hosting La Rochelle (10:30), while Paarl Girls’ High will be taking on Oranje from Bloemfontein.
