12 Jul 2017

Sport: Fiji netballers through to quarter finals at World Youth Champs

12:13 pm on 12 July 2017

Fiji are through to the quarter finals at the Netball World Youth Cup for the first time.

The Baby Pearls thrashed Grenada 74-23 in Gaborone, Botswana to make it three straight wins and build on earlier victories against Trinidad and Tobago and Wales.

Coach Vicki Wilson said their fluency on attack was a highlight.

"Exciting times for the girls but I was particularly pleased that we were able to score that many goals," she said.

"Because that's been an area that we've tried to address over the last few months, trying to keep possession and keep the goal-rate ticking over."

The Baby Pearls are on track for a spot in the knockout rounds.

Fiji have qualified for the quarter finals. Photo: Facebook / Netball Fiji

The Baby Pearls have also beaten Trinidad and Tobago and Wales in Botswana and will face England tomorrow to determine who finishes as the top qualifier from Pool D.

Vicki Wilson said it would be another big step up for her young team.

"England are a very slick side. They're pretty sharp with their movement, their ball placement and they can run out a game and that's the challenge - just being able to stick to that consistency and make some good decisions under pressure."

Depending on the outcome of that match, Fiji could face any of three teams in the quarter finals.

"It doesn't matter who we play - I've been watching very closely Uganda, Botswana and Jamaica and all of them are all very very tough so it will come down to the Jamaica v Uganda game tomorrow as to who will be first or second in their pool.

"So either one would be extremely tough. Botswana will probably be very very tough because you're playing here in front of their home crowd and they are just so loud, but first things first take on England."

Meanwhile Samoa kept alive their playoff hopes with a 73-49 demolition of Sri Lanka to make it back to back wins.

New Zealand are unbeaten at the top of Pool A with the winner of tomorrow's match between Samoa and Scotland to join them in the knockout rounds.

The Cook Islands playoff hopes are over after they slumped to a third straight defeat in Botswana, beaten 52-39 by Uganda.