The Baby Pearls will face Uganda in the quarterfinals of the Netball World Youth Cup after suffering their first defeat in Botswana.

The Baby Pearls lost 39-63 to England in the last Pool D match but still finished as runners-up to set up a last eight clash against Uganda, who topped Pool C, despite a five-goal loss to Jamaica.

That result also denied Botswana a place in the quarterfinals, despite the hosts stunning upset of the Caribbean giants a day earlier.

The Cook Islands remain winless despite surging back from a 10- goal deficit, early in the final quarter, to earn a 45-45 draw with Malaysia.

The Black Pearls were struck down with a gastro bug during their first week in Gaborone and head coach John Glassie said, after coming through that incident, half the squad have now picked up a new virus.

“We were trying to rest some players because we’ve had some illness in the team – there’s a virus going through the team,” he said.

“We had to rest some of the players and they weren’t able to start the game, so unfortunately we had to put them towards the end and try and to fight out for the draw.

“But we’ve got Trinidad and Tobago tomorrow so we can recoup and the girls can get a good night’s sleep before tomorrow evening’s game.”

“We’ve probably got about six girls at 100 per cent – so half our team are a little bit down and we’re just trying to make sure it doesn’t spread any further, however it is that it’s being passed,” said Glassie.

Samoa also missed out on a quarter final berth after losing 46-44 to Scotland in their decisive winner takes all clash in Pool A.

They’ll face Barbados in the playoff for 9th-16th place.

Edited by Osea Bola

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