LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning inflicted the first of two big losses for the Saracens Mavericks in Round 4 of the Netball Super League (NSL) with a 17-goal win on Friday night.

The match began as a tight affair, with both teams battling the nerves and unable to settle as they traded blows. Eventually it was the Mavericks who built themselves a lead midway through the quarter, but they were unable to maintain it for the rest of the quarter as the Lightning fought back.

The Lightning levelled things up before the Mavericks re-established their lead in the final few minutes of the term. However, the Lightning then managed to level things up once again, and as such the score was tied at 13 all after an entertaining first quarter.

The Lightning came out with guns blazing in the second quarter and as such raced out to a three goal lead, but thanks to the likes of Jodie Gibson and her intercepts the Mavericks were able to then respond and level things up again.

Up the other end Alice Harvey had really lifted her defensive body pressure in the second quarter which ensured the Mavericks could not keep going with their resurgence and take the outright lead and run away with proceedings. Harvey was working really well with Fran Williams, who was the intercept queen as she denied several Mavericks forays into attack.

In the final few minutes of the quarter is where things really started to open up for the Lightning. They really lifted to take it from a goal for goal affair to a nine goal lead at the main break in favour of the Lightning.

The Lightning kept their foot on the gas in the third term and maintained their lead for much of the quarter, and extended it even further as the quarter progressed. Their defensive pressure was really strong which forced the Mavericks to panic and just throw it long into Ine-Mari Venter, which did not always pay off.

The lead had ballooned out to 13 goals at the final change, but the Lightning were not done with the scoring pressure there. Much like the third quarter they won the last quarter also by four goals to extend their final winning margin out to 17.

In other results:

• Severn Stars picked up their second win of the season with a 21-goal win over the Celtic Dragons.

The Stars won every quarter, but it was a 16 goals to six third quarter that really opened things up for the visitors.

For the Stars Sigrid Burger (45 goals from 46 attempts) really shone in attack, while up the other end Jo Trip (two rebounds, three intercepts and a deflection) was industrious in defence.

Meanwhile it was the defenders who starred for the Dragons, namely Ella Powell-Davies (five intercepts, four deflections and a rebound) and Shaquanda Greene-Noel (four deflections, three intercepts, two rebounds).

• Team Bath are finally on the board in 2023, after they downed the Strathclyde Sirens by a single goal.

Bath won the first two quarters to take a six-goal lead into the main break, before the Sirens began their march back. However despite winning the next two quarters the Sirens were unable to get over the line, falling agonisingly short.

Jayda Pechova (four rebounds, four deflections and two rebounds) was an absolute star in defence for Bath, while Ali Wilshier (23 feeds, one intercept) was busy through midcourt.

Meanwhile for the Sirens, Towera Vinkhumbo (six deflections, three rebounds, two intercepts) was strong in defence, while Niamh McCall (16 goals from 20 attempts, 13 feeds and a rebound) was in attack.

• The London Pulse are undefeated no more, after they went down to Manchester Thunder 58 goals to 51.

The Thunder won the first two quarters which was enough to counter the Pulse winning the third quarter and drawing the fourth, and after they lost last start the Thunder have bounced back in the perfect way.

Lenize Potgieter (38 goals from 38 attempts) led the way in attack for the Thunder, while Amy Carter (17 feeds, one deflection) also played well.

Meanwhile for the Pulse Berri Neil (15 goals from 16 attempts, 17 feeds) was busy out at goal attack, while Funmi Fadoju (seven deflections, two intercepts) had a good game in defence.

• The weekend went from bad to worse for the Mavericks when they lost their second game in as many days, going down to Surrey Storm by 12 goals.

The Mavericks overcame an initial five-goal deficit to lead at half-time, before they were overpowered in the second half as the Storm ran away with the match.

Proscovia Peace (45 goals, five rebounds) was an absolute star for the Storm, as was Mikki Austin (21 feeds), as was Venter (44 goals) and Lisa Mather (20 feeds, three deflections, one intercept) for the Mavericks.