WednesdayRwanda 22-43 Kenya

FridayRwanda vs Tanzania 2pm

SaturdayUganda vs Rwanda 2:30pm

Hosts Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF) netball team lost match 22-43 against their Kenyan counterparts in the opening EAC Military Games played yesterday at Amahoro Stadium. 

Kenya Defence Forces made a great start with quick seven goals from Linda Okingo scoring (5) and Christian Nekesa (2) and they led the first quarter 7-0.

RDF’s goal shooter Scovia Kabanyana and wing attacker Nadina Umwari scored 4 and 1 goals respectively as the Kenyans put up some great defensive play by Grace Ettang and Victoria Obiya.

A dominant end to the second quarter saw the KDF become clear at the front with 19-13, with Okingo scoring 9 goals out of the last 12 in the process.

A stuttering start after the half time saw the RDF team head coach Ephraim Gatera push his side, and his team responded by taking some good shots from a range to complete a turnover.

The hosts tried to move well to get free of their opponents however the KDF ladies used their height benefit to stretch their lead.

In the third quarter, the KDF took their shots quickly moved the ball into the shooting circle and by end of third quarter the score was 33-15.

The visitors frequently showed class in defense and attack with intercepts and rebounds. The RDF failed to take good interceptions in the center court as the opponents continued to play over them.

The last two quarters were dominated by the Kenyans especially in the center court as the hosts made most of stray balls. RDF’s Georgina Nyirandegeya fed the circle well and despite that they lost the game.

In truth, following a deprived opening quarter, the RDF team played catch-up but performed courageously in the middle quarters and can take a lot from those lessons heading into the next game against a hard Tanzania side on Friday.

In the earlier game, eight-times EAC Military netball champions Tanzania beat defending champions UPDF 29-27 in a closely contested game that ended in a dramatic fashion when two players from both sides exchanged blows.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw