Sri Jayawardenapura lasses retain Netball Championship yet again
The lasses of University of Sri Jayawardenapura came up with a stupendous display to beat University of Colombo and retain the Inter University Games Netball Championship for the fourth consecutive year. With this year’s win, University of Sri Jayawardenapura became the University Netball Queens for the fifth year running. The tournament was held at the Uva Wellassa University.
The University of Sri Jayawardenapura won the University Games Netball Championship for the fifth time
In the final University of Sri Jayawardenapura recorded a comprehensive 61-40 win over University of Colombo. The victorious team overcame University of Kelaniya by 40-25 in the semi-final while University of Colombo, who ended overall third last year, defeated last year’s runners-up University of Jaffna by 34-23 in the second semi-final.
In the quarter-final stage University of Sri Jayawardenapura netballers defeated University of Sabaragamuwa by 43-18 to record a comfortable win. The first quarter-final was won by University of Kelaniya who won against University of Ruhuna by 42-21 while in the second game, University of Colombo easily defeated South East University of Sri Lanka by 41-19. The third quarter-final was won by University of Jaffna, who overcame University of Moratuwa by 30-26 in a close battle.
The eventual winners were drafted in Group ‘A’ alongside Wayamba University and South-Eastern University as the competition had 14 teams in total. The Group ‘B’ included University of Jaffna, University of Visual and Performing Arts and Ruhuna University and Group ‘C’ had University of Colombo, Uva Wellassa University, Sabaragamuwa University and Eastern University. University of Kelaniya, University of Moratuwa, University of Peradeniya and Rajarata University competed under Group ‘D’.
The University of Sri Jayawardenapura had been winning this title since 2014. They retained the championship in 2015, 2016, 2017 and in 2018. The team is coached by Hyacinth Wijesinghe, the current coach of Sri Lankan Army Netball team and a former National Netball coach.
University of Sri Jayawardenapura squad: Anjalee Biyanwila (Captain), Maneesha Ranasinghe, Sonali Nanayakkara, Janathri Gnanawardene, Thushara Jayasekara, Dilshika Liyanaarachchi, Sanduni Welikala, Sajeewa Samarakoon, Ikshoori Rathnaweera, Sahira Wijerathna, Nilumi Hapuarachchi, Vinuri Andradi