Loughborough Lightning hit their stride straight away as the 2023 Netball Superleague season got underway on Saturday.
Lightning recorded a convincing 86-52 victory over Team Bath at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena at an event which saw all ten NSL teams come together for the first time in a single day.
Loughborough got off to a flying start with the opening centre pass quickly converted to the first point on the board as shooters Emman Thacker (GA) and Mary Nuba Cholhok (GS) put on yet another display of precision and composure as Team Bath struggled to match their intensity.
Lightning raced to a 23-13 lead after the first quarter and it was clear Team Bath which had four debutants were in for a tough outing. The side dominated the first four minutes of the second quarter but Team Bath worked tirelessly not to allow their opponent’s lead to stretch far away.
However, Loughborough started the third quarter with nine unanswered goals to lead 52-32 and the game was all but done as there was no way back for Team Bath.
Cholhok scored 50 goals and missed just 4 shots.
Lightning returns to the court at Loughborough University for round two against Celtic Dragons on Saturday, 18th February.
Loughborough’s Starting 7
- GS: Mary Cholhok
- GA: Emma Thacker
- WA: Hannah Joseph
- C: Nat Panagarry
- WD: Jas Odeogberin
- GD: Fran Williams
- GK: Alice Harvey