DESPITE the best efforts of a determined Saracens Mavericks, the Loughborough Lightning once again proved too strong and defeated their fellow Londoners 68-60.

For the most part it was a tight affair, with the second quarter making all the difference. After initially trading goals to start the match, it was the Lightning who were the first ones to take the lead early.

The Mavericks did fight back to get the margin to within one, but could not take their opportunities to level up proceedings. They finally did take that chance with about three minutes to go in the term, but could not take the lead as the home side retook the lead late.

It remained a tight game though, and as such the margin was only a single goal in the Lightning’s favour at the first change.

After the Lightning gave themselves a bit of breathing space early in the second term, the tempo started to settle into a rhythm as both teams traded blows.

But then the Mavericks really started to build. Alice Harvey was having a really strong game in defence, and despite the Mavericks’ defenders in Razia Quashie and Jodie Gibson really not giving the Lightning shooters much room physically, the Lightning midcourters were exploiting their weakened aerial ability and using Mary Cholhok’s height advantage.

In the end the margin was out to six goals in the Lightning’s favour at the main break.

The third quarter was considerably more even. Teams traded blows for much of the terms and as much as the Mavericks’ defence increased the number of turnovers they were recording, that good work was not being rewarded up the other end.

The Lightning went on to win the quarter by a single goal, so as such the overall lead was out to seven as the teams turned for home.

History repeated itself in the last quarter as the game remained tight and the Lightning also won that quarter by a single goal to see the eight goal result finalised.

In other results:

• The Strathclyde Sirens are still winless in 2024, this time losing to the Rhinos by 11 goals.

The Rhinos jumped out to an eight goal lead at the first break, which set the tone for what was to come, despite the Sirens later winning the third term.

• The Surrey Storm picked up a crucial win, downing the Dragons by a mere three goals.

Proceedings were tight all game, with each team winning two quarters each, but ultimately the Storm won their half of the game by more than the Dragons won theirs.

• Manchester Thunder chalked up another big win, this time to the tune of 15 goals over the Severn Stars.

The game started tight, but The Thunder blew things open in the second term and things went from there.

• London Pulse also chalked up a big win, downing Team Bath by 26 goals.

The Pulse kept growing their lead as the game progressed, culminating in a 24 goal to 11 third term, so that by the time things tightened up in the last term it was a case of too little too late.