A MASSIVE 10 games of action in the traditional Easter double-header takes place this weekend for the Vitality Netball Superleague (VNSL) Rounds 13 and 14. Strathclyde Sirens (Round 13) and Team Bath (Round 14) have the easier weekend compared to the other teams, with just the one game, whilst the nine remaining sides all complete the double.

ROUND 13

The first day’s play on Saturday at Resorts World Arena largely contains matches of sides at opposite ends of the ladder. The pick of the bunch could be the opening match between the second placed Loughborough Lightning, and the sixth placed Surrey Storm. The Storm have the potential to cause upsets, and are just one win out of the top four, but have a goal difference of minus-26, whilst the Lightning have a whopping plus-142. A head-to-head to watch is Lightning wing defence Beth Cobden against Storm wing attack Yasmin Parsons. Towering shooters at either end, Mary Cholhok and Peace Proscovia will battle it out to see who can put more goals on the board and go a long way towards winning.

The other game that could be tight is up next, with the seventh placed Leeds Rhinos taking on the struggling Celtic Dragons. The Welsh side has shown potential this year, particularly through its defensive combination of Shaquanda Greene-Noel and Annabel Roddy, but the likes of Sigrid Burger and Brie Tyler Grierson will be tough to contain.

Top of the table Manchester Thunder locks horns with Strathclyde Sirens who are coming off a win. The Thunder have passed every challenge thrown at them, and will be looking to make it 13 straight victories with a win here, whilst the Sirens, now out of the bottom three, will be keen to leapfrog the Rhinos if they can win and the Rhinos fall. Joyce Mvula and Eleanor Cardwell up against Towera Vinkhumbo and Emily Nicholl will be key to the match.

London Pulse has just slipped a little in recent weeks, adding three more losses to their season total against the top three sides, which is why they sit in fourth spot. They should bounce back here against a Wasps side in ninth with a 3-8 record for 2022. Olivia Tchine and Funmi Fadoju are bookends in ripping form, whilst Gezelle Allison has been a rising star this season for the Wasps to support Rachel Dunn.

Wrapping up day one’s play, the fifth placed Saracens Mavericks take on the cellar dwellers, Severn Stars. The Mavericks are on the verge of cracking into the top four, and will be looking for a big weekend, whilst the Stars desperately looking to snap a 10-game losing streak in the contest. The power up front for the Mavericks includes Ine-Mari Venter and Britney Clarke, whilst the Stars will hope the experience of Liana Leota and Cathrine Tuivaiti can help them cause an upset.

ROUND 14

On Sunday, Team Bath enters the fray up against Leeds Rhinos, with the blue and gold side now up to third with an impressive 83-goal difference. Bath’s defensive combination of Layla Guscoth and Phumza Maweni is what is ensuring they remain highly competitive, and they will look for much of the same in this contest.

In other games, the second placed Loughborough Lightning take on the second last placed Celtic Dragons, and the Surrey Storm have another huge challenge against ladder leaders Manchester Thunder. Meanwhile London Pulse and Saracens Mavericks lock horns in a ladder-defining clash of fourth and fifth, before the weekend closes out with Severn Stars up against Wasps in a bottom three contest.