Sunshine Coast Lightning defeat Collingwood Magpies in first Super Netball Anzac Day clash

The Sunshine Coast Lightning have ended a run of three straight losses in spectacular fashion with a dominant 65-50 win over Collingwood Magpies in Tremendous Netball’s inaugural Anzac Day match.

Trying to bounce again following a painful one-goal loss to NSW Swifts, the Lightning recovered from a shaky begin to Tuesday’s conflict at John Cain Enviornment, overwhelming a lacklustre Magpies outfit to maneuver forward of Melbourne Vixens and into the league’s prime 4.

Sunshine Coast absorbed early stress from Collingwood within the first and second quarters then unleashed their deadly transition sport to punish a sequence of Magpies errors and surge to a 14-goal lead by half-time.

Lightning veteran Steph Wooden missed the beginning of the second half after receiving a blow to the face within the second quarter however returned to energy her facet to victory and earn the reward of first-year coach Belinda Reynolds.

“She is aware of when she must step up and play the function, and when she does want to steer,” Reynolds advised Fox Sports activities about her star attacker.

“I feel each sport, she takes a number of the weight of the world on her shoulders and he or she does lead on the market … she’s actually good with our younger ladies approaching.”

Whereas Wooden’s mixture with fellow Diamonds objective shooter Cara Koenen (39 targets) and 22-year-old midcourter Annie Miller (35 feeds, 18 objective assists) saved the scoreboard ticking over, the efforts of two-time premiership defender Karla Pretorius (10 good points and 4 intercepts) laid the muse for the win.

“I do know I most likely wanted to be higher [on Tuesday] than the earlier 5 rounds and I am simply completely satisfied, it is good for my confidence to have a sport like this,” the 33-year-old South African worldwide mentioned as she continues her return to the sport after the beginning of her daughter in 2022.

Collingwood made one of the best of an untidy begin to rating seven of the primary 9 targets however the Lightning gained the ascendancy by holding the house facet scoreless over a four-minute stretch as they surged to a 21-12 lead.

The second quarter was a carbon copy of the primary as a achieve from Jodi-Ann Ward triggered one other 7-2 begin from the Magpies earlier than their lack of ability to keep up possession got here again to hang-out them, the Lightning’s effectivity and pace in transition organising a 41-27 half-time lead.

Collingwood’s woes have been mirrored within the first-half statistics with 14 possession modifications and 30 penalties whereas Sophie Garbin’s struggles in assault (0/5 taking pictures in 27 minutes) contributed to the Magpies’ 81 per cent taking pictures share.

The frustration grew for Collingwood within the third quarter as they might not reap the benefits of Wooden’s absence, the Lightning placing the end result past doubt by taking an unassailable 56-39 buffer into the ultimate quarter.

AAP

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