Fiji Pearls won the final quarter, but it was not enough to change the direction of the game as the Tongan Tala’s went on to secure a 74-55 win in their opening PacificAus series II opening match at the USC Stadium on Australia’s Sunshine Coast last night.
The Tongans dominated the first three quarters, winning 19-10 in the first quarter, 35-24 in the second and 58-36 in the third before Fiji came firing in the final quarter, bagging 19 goals to the Tongans’ 16.
The win is the Tongans fourth on the trot against Fiji – they recorded their first two victories during the first series that was held in Sydney in March, winning 68-54 during the round-robin stages and reaffirmed that with a 60-52 win in the grand finale. They went on to clinch the Oceania World Cup qualifying tournament that was played in Suva in July, making the cut for the 2023 Netball World Cup in South Africa as the only team to come away from the regional tournament with a clean slate having accounted for all teams including Fiji 29-59.
Fiji and the Tongans move on to round two of games tonight, with the Pearls stepping onto the court against the Samoans at 9pm (Fiji Time), before the Tongans who are also tournament favorites have their go against Papua New Guinea at 11pm (Fiji Time).
The series, which is funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), finishes on Friday, Oct 21. It also features the USC Thunder and an Australian Pathway team, both of which are ineligible for the final.
Photo: File
