Blue Eagles Sisters edges Civonets by 35 baskets to 26

Blue Eagles Sisters Saturday reigned supreme over their traditional rivals, Civonets in a thrilling Capital City netball derby K40 million Gateway Mall Central Regional Netball League when they edged them by 35 baskets to 26.

The Area 30 Nankhaka ladies proved that their dominance in the game in the region was still unshaken as they played an attacking game as opposed to their opponents despite the game being rated top of the bill.

Blue Eagles Sisters are now top with 10 points from five games with 258 baskets against 115 while Civonets have eight points from five games with 205 baskets against 169.

The leaders are yet to register defeat and while the Civil Servants have recorded one for the season.

The first quarter belonged to the lady servants as they were leading by 7-8 baskets at the end with Eluby Chikooka and Florence Jeke netting the baskets.

The second quarter saw Blue Eagles Sisters on top on their game with Nancy Njawala and Ruth Kaliyenda although had their lifeline but the introduction of Civonets, goal shooter, Cynthia Khunga but lacked composure at times.

**Blue Eagles Sisters ready for Capital City Derby**

However, Civonets centre, Lusako Mhone was elbowed down by Eagles Sisters, wing defender, Julie Sambo and play had to stop for some minutes when she was seeking medical attention.

This quarter saw Blue Eagles Sisters taking the lead to 10 baskets to 9 at break.

The third quarter saw Eagles Sisters piling pressure and were netting more baskets through Njawala and Kaliyenda and on the other hand, Khunga was guilty of missing several chances.

Eagles Sisters rested Njwawala and Kaliyenda for Tapiwa Chikooka and Sella Matelezi respectively in order to consolidate their lead which saw them ending the quarter with 27 baskets to 20.

The last quarter, Civonets trailed behind as they were failing to put their act together and were losing valuables baskets when in attack.

At the end, Eagles Sisters carried the day with 35 baskets to 26.

**Civonets bench. Pics by Tione Andsen Malawi News Agency**

Blue Eagles Sisters Coach, Madano Tepetheya said his charges denied their opponents where to go.

“We were generally quick on the ball and we denied them to attack us. At the end of the day, we carried the day and now that we deployed physical game,” he said.

Civonets coach, White Mulilima attributed the loss to bad umpiring saying there was a lot of questionable decisions which were made against their team.

“You saw the physical contact the Blues Eagles Sisters players had on our players and nothing was happening and instead the umpires warned our players for questioning their decisions,” he lamented.