Masvingo’s Hi-Flyers netball team had a good Rainbow Netball League week 3 as they
trashed vising teams taking full advantage of home ground support over the last weekend.
Travelling all the way from Hwange to Masvingo at Mucheke Courts, the home team
inflicted a 34-26 loss on Lusumbami Queens. As it turned out it was also not a good weekend
for the Hwange team who fell to a sucker goal 31-32 to Harare’s Yadah.
Last weekend they (Lusumbami Queens) were supposed to host week 2 fixtures at their
grounds by welcoming visiting Black Mambas from Morris Depot and Golden Valley Queens
from Kadoma but the fixture was postponed and the reason was not specified.
Lusumbami Queens coach Winnie Mwenelupembe said the loss was unfortunate because
they controlled the game and took the lead in the in all their first three quarters but
unfortunately they lacked endurance and the fighting spirit.
“Our wish was to win at least a game between the two but unfortunately the results came out
shocking. The team performed very well especially in the first game and we were leading all
the first three quarters but then lost the fourth by a single goal and I am sure the team lacked
endurance and the fighting spirit until the last minute,” she said.
Boasting of the likes of Onelda Tshuma who was nominated the best player and had seven
goals to her name, Shantani Ncube golden hand, Mwenelupembe is optimistic that her
charges will take the team to a better position by the end of the season. She has put the
disappointing results behind her and hoped the team had learnt its lesson and will improve on
fitness and combination.
Also she noted some areas they need to reinforce to add depth on the youthful squad. She was
however happy with the performance of the defense and attacking units which she said had
improved.
“We have a very youthful team which still needs a lot of training to improve on fitness and
combination and I believe the project is still work in progress. The only additional needed in
the team so far is a good goal shooter because defense, mid-court and attack is improving
well on each game and im happy with that. We will definitely end the season in the top 8
which is not bad considering that we are rebuilding,” said Mwenelupembe.
Meanwhile, she credited Yadah Queens for their good performance saying the Harare based
side had given them a tough challenge and torrid time as they thrashed them despite them
taking the lead.
“Our toughest opponent was Yadah Queens who travelled all the way from Harare to
Masvingo for the fixtures. It was trailing by a goal in the first three quarters but came back
strongly in the last quarter and snatched victory by a single goal,” she said.
In the other matches played across the regions at Ruwa Courts in Ruwa, log leaders Glow
Petroleum consolidated their stay at the top of the table as they hammered Ruwa 105-10 and
further clobbered Belvedere 115-16.
