Fireballs scorch through first week of league unbeaten

THE Golden Fireballs ended the first round of the Telkom Netball League (TNL) 2025 at the Sun City SuperBowl, as the only unbeaten team, topping the Division 1 log.

- ROWAN CALLAGHAN

Defending champions the Free State Crinums are firmly in the frame. However, a shock 57-49 capitulation against invitation side the Zambezi Eagles yesterday put a damper on their title defence. The result does not count towards the log standings, though.

The Eagles flew out of the blocks to lead 21-5 at the end of the first quarter and 34-15 at half-time. The Crinums slowly clawed their way back into the game, however, pulling within 13 points at the end of the third quarter.

The deficit proved just too much to overcome for the Free State side in the end, as the Zimbabwean team kept their cool to secure the upset win. Crinums coach Martha Mosoahle-Samm admitted that her side had underestimated their rivals.

"We had a terrible start but I'm going to take good lessons out of this," she said in her post-match interview.

"After being 19 goals down and coming back and just losing by eight goals, I think the championship mentality is there. Thank God this one doesn't count.