Abbie shoots down Lightning
A THIRD straight win has provided further ammo for Saffery Panthers in what now looks to be a promising season developing.
When Panthers last faced Sussex Lightning at the end of the 2016-17 season, the Netball South Division Three title was on the line for the Sarnians.
After losing by a tiny margin on that occasion and then dropping from their former Division Two heights to the base of their former grounds, the Panthers were at another critical point as the two sides reunited at Beau Sejour for the Sunday lunchtime clash.
Their test this time was to tip the scales of their season and escape the bottom three of the league.
Despite their previous encounters with Lightning coming down to hairline margins, the Sarnians soon broke away and passed the test with flying colours, 53-40.
GS Abbie Greening wowed the opposition for a player of the match nomination and Lightning’s outstanding wing-attacker Poppy Carsey didn’t go unnoticed either.
Captain Nena Copperwaite credited her side’s improved fitness for the victory and hopes to extend this in coming matches.
‘That was quite tough – it was a really quick game and we just needed to maintain the intensity,’ she said.
‘We had a couple of lulls but speaking to the girls, we’ve done loads of fitness outside and it was a chance to see that work in our favour.
‘I want us to keep building on this momentum, it’s provided us with a bit of confidence and our shooting today, again, was really good – Abbie in particular played really, really well.’
Panthers will play away next weekend at Clan Two and the Sarnians have the favourable record.
More in Monday's Guernsey Press.
