Mandela University hope for a quick change in fortunes after suffering two straight defeats on the opening weekend of their Varsity Netball campaign.
The Madibaz, who went down 31-74 to NWU before losing 39-55 to Wits in Stellenbosch, will have it all to do against the equally wounded Maties and CUT outfits in Bloemfontein on Sunday and Monday.
Both opponents returned winless from the festival in the Western Cape, where Maties found themselves on the wrong side of 39-46 and 43-49 scorelines to UJ and Kovsies, respectively.
The story of CUT’s weekend spelled 36-57 and 43-48 losses to UJ and Wits.
Jeanie Steyn, now in her third season as Madibaz head coach, said it turned into a lesson for a team that were clearly still finding their feet in the upper echelons of the sport.
“It was a challenging start but I felt we came back stronger in the second match,” she said, adding that several players had made their debut in the competition.
She used the match against NWU to field the full squad of 12 players “to get those first-game jitters out of the way”.
Steyn, a former national player used to the stresses associated with elite netball, was encouraged by the team’s collective response against Wits – particularly early on.
Goalkeeper Neviera Gunn will play a key role in Madibaz’s defence when her side come up against Maties and CUT in Varsity Netball’s third and fourth rounds this weekend. Photo: Varsity Sports
“We came back strongly in the first half and that is something we can build on,” she said.
It was clear that the Madibaz were on the back foot when pushing forward as they struggled to consistently convert possession into scoring opportunities.
“We definitely have to work on our attacking systems; revise and refine them. We were struggling to get the ball to our shooters.”
The scoring average was above par when they managed to do so, Steyn pointed out.
The unforced-error rate and centre-pass conversion are other areas the team’s mentor will take under the microscope as the tournament unfolds.
“When we lose possession, it often results in goals against us. We need to improve our decision-making, keep the ball in hand a little longer and not force things.”
Steyn admitted that it was a difficult assignment to recover from an indifferent start when the turnaround between matches was so short.
“It is always a challenge when you are defeated in both games in the first round, but this group are very resilient.”
The players were receptive to feedback and the coach said she genuinely felt “lucky to have a squad like this”.
Injuries before the national competition definitely played their part in the Madibaz’s misfortunes, especially when it came to identifying the best combinations.
The silver lining is that the coaching staff gained valuable insight into this area during these games.
In fact, Steyn said they were able to “settle combinations in various positions”.
The defensive pair of Juanita van Tonder and Neviera Gunn are an example of the progress being made.
“They struggled in the first match but came out strongly in the second. It was a real test of character and they passed it,” the Madibaz mentor said.
With the next two rounds upon them, Steyn knows there is little value in dwelling on the past.
“Keeping the confidence after a weekend like this is very important,” she said.
Giving her players a clear target will help them refocus.
“Communication is key,” she said. “The players have the skills and we need to build them up and reassure them.”
Madibaz take on Maties at 7pm on Sunday and CUT at 5pm on Monday.