Fijian Pearls have moved eight places up the ladder of the World Netball rankings.

This was after they beat Trinidad and Tobago, 71-37, in the 11th place play-off in Cape Town, South, Africa, on Saturday night.

They are now ranked 11th after being placed 19th prior to the Netball World Cup.

Fiji led in all the quarters; 17-8 in the first, 17-7 in the second and 15-13 and 22-9 in the third and final quarter respectively.

Speaking to Netball World Cup media after the match, an elated Pearls captain Maria Lutua-Rusivakula, said: “It’s absolutely good. To come out here with a young squad – our aim was to progress from where we left off at the last World Cup and I think everyone really stepped up and put in 100 per cent. So going home, we’re happy that we have progressed from the last time.

“We wanted to finish off on a high. We’ve worked hard and worked strong and wanted to go out with a win.

“We came out hungry and we said we’re not going to go home without a win, so I think the girls showed that on the court today.”

It was a better finish than the Pearls last World Cup appearance in Liverpool four years ago where they finished 14th.

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Story by: sereana.salalo@fijisun.com.fj