The Fiji Pearls’ struggles at the PacificAus Sports Netball Series deepened as they suffered their third consecutive defeat, going down 71-47 to defending champions Tonga on Wednesday.
The loss follows earlier defeats to Tifa Samoa 54-45 and Scotland 67-47, leaving Fiji at the bottom of the standings ahead of their final pool match against First Nations Australia today at 3pm.
This clash will be crucial as it determines their placing for the finals round on the last day of the tournament.
Despite a determined effort, the Pearls struggled to keep pace with Tonga’s clinical finishing and strong defence.
Tonga took control early, leading 17-13 at the end of the first quarter and steadily widened the gap.
By halftime, the defending champions extended their lead to 36-22 putting Fiji on the back foot.
The Pearls fought hard in the third quarter but couldn’t close the gap as Tonga maintained their dominance, sealing the win with a commanding 71-47 scoreline.
With three straight losses, interim coach Jioweli Vakamoce will be hoping for a stronger performance today as Fiji looks to end the pool stage on a positive note before heading into the placing rounds.
