DESPITE an injury concern, Laura Scherian had a 100th Super Netball match to remember, as her Sunshine Coast Lightning side defeated the Adelaide Thunderbirds to earn their first win of the season.
In doing so, the Lightning denied the Thunderbirds the chance of a 3-0 start for the first time in their history.
It was a very measured and composed start to the match from both sides, with the first quarter proving one of swaying momentum.
The Thunderbirds shot to a small early lead, but then the Lightning were the ones to edge ahead. The Thunderbirds then reeled back the ascendency and made it their own.
Some clever intercept work from the Thunderbirds defenders late saw them take a two goal lead into the first break.
An impressive early piece for the Lightning was Kadie-Ann Dehaney, who after struggling at times in the opening fortnight was impactful with her intercepts.
The opening minutes of the second term saw the Lightning eliminate the Thunderbirds’ lead and before anyone knew it, it was Sunshine Coast leading by two goals.
The Lightning were able to maintain their lead for the next 10 minutes, but could not quite create much of a gap on the Thunderbirds.
The Thunderbirds dragged the margin back in the last five minutes of the term, and with three minutes to go scores were level.
The Lightning took the lead late, but then Georgie Horjus had a chance to level things up but it missed.
After all that it was the Lightning who took a two-goal lead into the main break.
The Lightning were able to grow their lead even more in the opening minutes, but it did not last long as the Thunderbirds reeled it back in again.
On the eve of the super shot period, the margin was back down to a single goal.
As the super shot period hit, Lenize Potgieter got firing from range it was the Thunderbirds who had the lead again.
With two minutes to go in the quarter returning Lightning captain Steph Wood found her range from super shot zone and the scores were level all over again.
At the final change it was the Thunderbirds by one, but it really felt like it was anyone’s game.
Both set of defences were on song early in the final term, with a lot of intercept work delighting the rowdy crowd in Adelaide.
It was an even opening four to five minutes, but the Thunderbirds had extended their lead out to three goals.
The Lightning managed to narrow the lead but as the super shot period drew closer, they just could not bridge the gap fully.
Then the super shot period hit, and it took one super shot from Wood to draw the scores level again.
Tippah Dwan then nailed a super shot of her own to restore the lead.
Wood then levelled things again with another super shot, and then Reilley Batcheldor nailed one to give her side the lead with about two minutes to go,
The Thunderbirds then got a regular goal with about a minute and a half to go.
The Thunderbirds had one last chance to take the win but they just ran out of time, handing the Lightning the lead.
ADELAIDE THUNDERBIRDS 13 | 11 | 15 | 12 (51)
SUNSHINE COAST LIGHTNING 11 | 15 | 12 | 14 (52)
STARTING SEVENS:
Adelaide Thunderbirds:
GS: Lenize Potgeiter
GA: Georgie Horjus
WA: Ellie McDonald
C: Maisie Nankivell
WD: Hannah Petty
GD: Latanya Wilson
GK: Shamera Sterling
Sunshine Coast Lightning:
GS: Cara Koenen
GA: Steph Wood
WA: Laura Scherian
C: Maddie Hinchliffe
WD: Mahalia Cassidy
GD: Tara Hinchliffe
GK: Kadie-Ann Dehaney
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