Lightning C team Storm fought out a 58-all draw against current play-off champions Resolution IT Black in an eye-catching result for their first top-flight season, capping off a night where second string Flash vied with their club’s strongest side – Strike – and lost by just seven goals to salvage a hard-earned league point.
Although there was plenty of Lightning brilliance on show at Les Varendes, the battle between Storm and Black proved especially memorable for being this season’s first ‘Prem’ draw.
GS and eventual player of the match Poppy Bisson led from the front for Rezzers as they dominated the opening quarter 18-10.
Yet after struggling through unavailability initially, Storm welcomed the delayed arrival of young Mabel Hill-Tout to take the GK bib in the second quarter, where they stepped it up considerably to slash the deficit to two.
The steady defending of Blacks’ vastly-experienced GK Lois Batiste ensured it was not smooth sailing, but from 28-26 down at half-time, Storm edged both subsequent quarters by a single goal to secure that elusive draw.
Both teams took away three league points, and despite falling short of a major scalp, Storm captain Hayley Brehaut also gained confidence from the result.
‘Absolutely thrilled to get a draw from that match,’ she said.
‘It was really our youngsters that did make the difference.’
Though armed with one experienced player in each third, Storm are otherwise a very youthful squad, and it was their GS Belle Otty that earned POM. Fellow junior Elysia de la Mare fuelled her firepower with great feeding from WA.
‘We really kept at it,’ the captain added.
‘We always say we have a terrible third quarter. But that third quarter was really good for us and I think that’s what made us able to get that draw.’
Beforehand at the same venue, Strike had squeezed through the first quarter against their B team, pinching it 12-11.
The going remained tough from there. Having started with already a small squad, the 2022-23 champions were to face injuries to current Panthers players Sophie Pontin and Shannon Jordan.
The former’s side-lining even forced shooter Bryony de Garis to adopt an unfamiliar defensive role at half-time.
But Strike still managed to hold the upper hand, leading 26-23 and 41-34 at the following intervals.
The final quarter ran dead-even en route to a final score of 56-49.
Indeed, Strike’s own captain Brehaut – all-around netball stalwart Donna – praised Flash for making it a ‘really close and well-contested game’.
‘They proved that they’re going to be a force going forwards,’ she said.
Steph Batiste, one of Brehaut’s allies in a rotating shooting circle, shared POM with rivalling GA Kiara Walsh.
Rezzers Black had been embroiled in another duel the previous week, losing by a single goal to the Island U19s.
The seesaw St Sampson’s High ‘friendly’ had the U19s coming through quarter one with a small lead, 13-11, only for Black to fight back hard and make it 27-17 at half-time.
After responding with a similarly excellent quarter to slash the deficit to three heading into the final 15 minutes, the U19s managed to edge ahead and pinch the win.
U19s centre and WA Sophie Elliott shared POM honours with senior Panthers co-captain and starting Rezzers GK Viviane Kamworth, who later moved into WD.
Meanwhile, Rezzers Green extended their overall league with a 62-46 victory over Flash at Les Varendes.
After a relatively slow start, leading just 11-10, the Greens hit their stride and produced dominant second and third quarters. But Flash fought to the end and there was again only a single goal to split the sides in the final quarter.
Young GK Erin Sullivan earned POM for Green, alongside another nomination for GS Otty.
Despite being weakened by notable absences, SNC Pula Blaze beat Storm by a relatively convincing 63-39 margin in their own Les Varendes match slot.
Storm put up a good fight in the first half, after which they trailed just 33-28, but dominant Blaze performances in the remaining quarters blew out their victory margin.
Blaze’s Vicky Yabsley shot her way to POM and likewise for Lightning GA Grace Phillips.
Blaze continued their hot streak on Wednesday by beating the U19s 59-37, despite losing quarter one by three. POM went to Blaze WA Jaymee-Leigh Weysom and fill-in GK Georgie Parfit.
