ON a Fiji Day weekend when celebrations were taking place across the country, Nasinu had another reason to celebrate after securing a 43-17 victory over Suva in their Round 11 clash of the Subrail Marama Championship at Uprising Grounds yesterday.
The win strengthened Nasinu’s hold on third place as the competition moves towards the quarter-finals next week, rewarding a team determined to stay among the leading contenders.
Nasinu entered the match with 38 points, just one ahead of fourth-placed Namosi on the Round 10 standings. With their position on the table in mind, coach Tomasi Katonivualiku said the players understood the importance of delivering against Suva.
The message during the week was clear: they had to win.
“We talked with the girls during the week in terms of getting a good place for our team. We knew that if we lost the game, we would drop down, so I told the girls we had no option but to win this game,” Katonivualiku said.
For the coach, the victory meant more than adding points to the table. It was also a reflection of the unity within the team, which he said had helped the players push through despite a lack of support.
“It means a lot to the team. Though there was a lack of support, we thank God for the bond between the staff and the girls. They were able to secure us a position today,” he said.
Katonivualiku said finishing strongly had been one of the team’s goals at the beginning of the season, and the players would continue working hard as they prepared for the knockout stages.
With the quarter-finals approaching next week, he believes the support of the Nasinu community will be important as the women look to extend their campaign.
