By Llywellenie Mpasa:
Malawi’s Under-23 netball side, the Queen Cubs, have suffered their first defeat in the Telkom Netball League after going down 43-49 to Tornados during Power Week 1 in Durban, South Africa.
The Cubs, who entered the match full of confidence following two opening victories in their debut campaign, started strongly and controlled the early exchanges.
They ended the first quarter 11-8, displaying sharp attacking combinations and organised defensive work that had characterised their promising start to the competition.
However, the momentum shifted in the second quarter as Tornados gradually settled into their rhythm.
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The Queen Cubs began to lose composure, allowing turnovers that enabled their opponents to fight back into the contest.
By halftime, Tornados had narrowly taken the lead at 22-21.
After the break, Tornados raised their intensity and punished lapses in the Cubs’ defensive structure.
With improved shooting accuracy and quick transitions, they extended their advantage, outscoring the Malawian side to lead 36-27 at the end of the third quarter.
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Despite the nine-goal deficit, the Queen Cubs showed resilience in the final quarter but Tornados remained composed under pressure to close out a 49- 43 victory.
Head coach Joana Kachilika attributed the defeat to tactical adjustments and unforced errors that disrupted her side’s flow.
“We weakened the team through changes [we made] and players also lost too many turnovers, which affected the game. We will go back to the drawing board and work to win other matches,” Kachilika said.
The Queen Cubs are back in action today for their fourth match, where they will be looking to bounce back and build on the positives drawn from their opening performances.
