LIGHTNING STRIKES AT HSV, AS MAVS COMEBACK FALLS SHORT.

A SLOW FIRST QUARTER CAUGHT MAVERICKS COLD AT HSV, AS THEY LEFT THEMSELVES WITH TOO MUCH TO DO AGAINST LOUGHBOROUGH.

This battle with last season’s Netball Super League runners up was the quintessential ‘game of two halves’ as a handful of offensive errors in the opening fifteen left the home side with an almost impossible task in the remaining three quarters.

Mavericks were facing a Loughborough side that were riding high following victory over Manchester Thunder on Saturday and they made a rampant start at HSV, leaving the Mavericks faithful fearing the worst.

To their credit though, Camilla Buchanan’s side continued to show their fighting spirit, which was epitomised by Britney Clarke at Goal Shooter.

Clarke was named in the starting 7 at a packed Hertfordshire Sports Village on Bank Holiday Monday and was praised by Head Coach, Camilla Buchanan, for her 60-minute performance.

Mavericks fans also showed their appreciation for Clarke, voting her Player of the Match in an online poll.

The experienced Razia Quashie mirrored Clarke’s performance at the other end of the court, to be awarded Gilbert Netball Player of the Match. Quashie, however, reflected how Mavericks allowed Vic Burgess’s side too great an advantage in the beginning, ultimately leaving themselves with too much to do.

Ellie Kelk and Lisa Mather entered the fray in the second quarter but a combination of offensive errors from the Black and Reds and title-challenging play from the Midlanders left the home side with a 23-goal deficit to close after the half time break.

Britney Clarke was matter-of-fact about “the good talking to” her team received in the changing room but how “it was the fire that we needed. We had a complete change of mindset, we really stuck to structure and pushed on.” Georgia Lees was one of those who came out with fire in her belly to help her team win the third quarter and reduce the gap.

As has been typical of Buchanan’s side in recent games, the final quarter was her team’s

Mavericks played a gutsy fifteen and can be proud of winning the half by eleven points and finishing the match just twelve points behind Lightning.

Mavericks have been working on how they adapt during games and it’s wonderful to hear how proud the Head Coach was of how well her team did just that in such a difficult match:

“I couldn’t be prouder of the way we adjusted. Really, really happy with how they responded.”

This will still feel like a missed opportunities for Mavericks, but they will be able to take great comfort from their second half performance.

Heading into this afternoon’s clash, they will