THE 2021 Vitality Netball Superleague grand finalists have been decided with Loughborough Lightning and Team Bath winning their respective semi-finals clashes and progressing through to the big dance. There were plenty of great moments with two spectacular clashes providing plenty of heart in your mouth moments.

Loughborough Lightning (58) defeated Leeds Rhinos (38)

Player of the match: Sam May (Loughborough Lightning)

Leeds Rhinos have set the bar high this season, and while they did not get the job done against the top of the table Loughborough Lightning, they have plenty to be proud of. In their inaugural season and subsequently first finals series they showed plenty of grit and determination however it was always going to be a challenge without the services of Australian goal shooter Donnell Wallam who was granted compassionate leave to return down under after the passing of her grandmother. It was a comprehensive performance by the Lightning who despite a close opening term put the foot down piling on 18 goals to nine to claim the ascendancy. That momentum did not let up for the remainder of the game with the Lightning implementing some incredibly strong defence to stop the Rhinos in their tracks. The Rhinos failed to reach double-digits in the second, third or fourth term as the lead ballooned out to 20 goals. Uncharacteristic inaccuracy cost the Rhinos, missing 17 shots compared to five while the Lightning showcased their ability to win ball back racking up 12 intercepts to eight.

The midcourt work of Beth Cobden and Nat Panagarry was once again at its damaging best as the pair combined seamlessly to open up the space. Cobden was a real menace through the midcourt and around circle edge amassing two intercepts and three deflections. Player of the Match Sam May impressed in her second last game before retirement with the goal keeper proving to be an imposing force. She picked up two rebounds, five intercepts and four deflections in an all-round clinical performance. In attack the work of Mary Cholhok was on display as the Ugandan shooter nailed 39 goals from 42 attempts, and not playing out a chunk of the match. She partnered well with Ella Clark out in goal attack who slotted 19 goals of her own and only missed the one attempt for the whole game. For the Rhinos it was the shared efforts of Rhea Dixon and Sienna Rushton in the goal circle that was paramount nailing 13 and 25 goals respectively. Jade Clarke’s midcourt craft was on show once again as the veteran plied her trade picking up an intercept and three deflections while the defensive unit were forced to work in overdrive with Vicki Oyesola and Tuaine Keenan racking up the penalties.

Manchester Thunder (38) defeated by Team Bath (41)

Player of the match: Serena Guthrie (Team Bath)

After holding top of the table for majority of the season, Team Bath stumbled at the final hurdle to drop down the ladder standings. But that aside, they managed to rally against the reigning champs to pull off a hard-fought win that went right down to the wire. There was no shortage of twists and turns as Thunder started strong before Bath skipped out to a two-goal lead at quarter time and then managed to forge ahead in the second to create a handy three-goal buffer which turned into the eventual winning margin. The second half was an intense and tight battle as neither side could be separated with both outfits scoring nine goals in the third and 10 in the last, highlighting the defensive pressure out on court. Thunder missed seven attempts while Bath only missed the two which proved to be a major difference in the end result. Penalties also came back to bite the Thunder as they racked up 10 more than their opponents, 55-45.

Defensively, Team Bath are littered with options and players that are able to turn a game on its head and that is what Eboni Usoro-Brown and Layla Guscoth did; imposing themselves on the contest at every opportunity. Guscoth was costly with her 13 penalties but made up for it with two intercepts and three deflections. Joyce Mvula was nowhere near as dominant for Manchester finishing with 18 goals to her name thanks to Team Bath’s strong defensive pressure to stem her influence and force Eleanor Cardwell to do much of the heavy lifting. Cardwell outscored Mvula finishing with 20 goals from 24 attempts. Through the midcourt it was a one-woman show as Serena Guthrie gave fans plenty to cheer about with her tenacity on full display with two intercepts and two deflections, let alone her sheer athleticism. Kim Borger was the strike shooter for Team Bath posting 39 goals at 97 per cent while Sophie Drakeford-Lewis played a strong supplementary role with her nine goals.

Grand final preview:

Loughborough Lightning vs. Team Bath

The grand final is set to be a cracker between the two teams. With both Lightning and Bath coming off a short turn around it is going to come down to which team can last the longest and provide that run and gun for a whole 60 minutes. Team Bath are coming off a gruelling encounter with Manchester Thunder, forced to really grind out the game and push it home while the Lightning had somewhat of an easier game in their semi-final encounter. Looking at the history of the two teams this season and it is a checkered one to say the least with both teams notching up wins meaning the grand final is going to go down to the wire. While Lightning have the recent form to suggest a win, there is no doubt Bath’s consistency this season will assist in their pursuit for glory.

All eyes will turn to the midcourt battle between Guthrie and Panagarry with the centres lynchpins for their respective sides and are real driving forces in both attack and defence. Defensively Team Bath have more options with Usoro-Brown, Guscoth and Summer Artman able to hold ground down back plus the work of Imogen Allison out the front. But the Lightning cannot be underestimate with May wanting to leave a mark on the competition and the likes of Jasmin Odeogberin and Alice Harvey able to have an impact. Team Bath will need to shut down the speed and ease in which the Lightning can score if they are to win while Loughborough will be hoping to stifle the classy ball movement Team Bath are renowned for to claim the upper hand.

Photo credit: Ben Lumley