Lightning and Thunder battle to the end in the Fiat Netball Super League
LOUGHBOROUGH LIGHTNING 48-49 NORTHERN THUNDER
It was a battle to the final whistle between Loughborough Lightning and Northern Thunder and one goal decided the Round 15 encounter in the Fiat Netball Superleague.
Lightning had just nine players available for the visit of the table-topping outfit from Bury, with England personel on international duty and with injuries playing a part in the run-in.
Loughborough head coach Olivia Murphy was impressed with the character shown by her side: "Considering the players we had out I'm really proud of how the others stepped up.
"We game Thunder a tough and competitive match and it's particularly pleasing to have spectators identify how much the team has improved.”
It was fine performance from all four shooters on court at the university - they all hit the mid-eighties or higher in their accuracy - and while the Lightning pair of Badmin and James were converting more chances than their opponents, Armitage and Turner at the other end were putting more shots up.
With only two players on the bench the home-side were limited in the changes they could make to the line-up, but none were needed in the first half. A confident start in the first quarter from Olivia Murphy’s “make-do” seven took them into a six goal lead, forcing the visitors to rethink; Jodie Gibson came off with Rachel Taylor continuing at wing-defence for the rest of the match.
Thunder found more leverage in the second fifteen minutes and closed to within one goal but still found the impressive Olivia Murphy a challenge and to counter that in the second half assistant coach Suzy Chapman unleashed Emma Dovey to roam all three thirds of the court. Centre is in fact Dovey position of chose but with England regulars Sara Bayman and Jade Clarke in the same squad Emma has “re-trained” to become Thunder’s number one choice goal-defence, but relished a run in her favoured bib.
The final quarter was an exciting one. Thunder appeared to be in control as they clocked up the goals to go 46-39 ahead but Lightning refused to crash out and went on a goal-run that brought them back to within one shot of levelling the match before they were beaten by the whistle.
Northern Thunder assistant coach, Suzy Chapman said it was a great game of netball: “It was a tough ask for the girls, when we have so many out with injuries, or on international duty and even on holiday. But we have been working cohesively as a squad in training all season and every player that had a chance today took it.
“Rachel Taylor (NTL) was oustanding today really tight on the ground but it was all about the team today with individual performances on top.”
