Loughborough Lightning Bounce Back with Victory Over Panthers
Loughborough Lightning, who had maintained a nine-game unbeaten streak before their recent defeat to London Pulse, returned to winning form with a 76-60 triumph against Birmingham Panthers on Friday.
Despite their perfect start to the season being halted by defending champions London Pulse last weekend, Lightning remain at the summit of the Netball Super League (NSL) table, now holding a four-point lead over second-placed Pulse.
London Pulse are scheduled to face Manchester Thunder, who sit six points behind Lightning in third place, on Saturday.
Match Summary
The Panthers, positioned at the bottom of the table, began the match strongly, leading at the conclusion of the first two quarters and holding a two-point advantage at halftime.
However, Lightning responded effectively after the break, gaining a four-goal lead by the start of the fourth quarter. They then secured their victory with a commanding performance during the final 15 minutes of the round 11 fixture.
Birmingham Panthers' Betsy Creak was the top scorer of the match, netting 35 goals and contributing four rebounds in the game held at Coventry Skydome. For Lightning, shooter Samantha Wallace-Joseph scored 33 goals, while teammate Ella Clark was awarded player of the match honors.
At 32 years old, Wallace-Joseph currently leads the NSL as the top scorer this season with a total of 339 goals.
Upcoming Fixtures
Loughborough Lightning's next match is against fourth-placed Nottingham Forest on 15 May. This game will be broadcast live on the website, app, and .
Nottingham Forest will face fifth-placed London Mavericks this Saturday, also live on the BBC. There is a six-point gap between these two teams as they compete for a top-four finish and a place in the play-offs to determine this season's champions.
How to Follow the 2026 Netball Super League on
will televise one game per week during the regular season. The following matches are available to watch live on the website and (UK only, all times BST):
- 9 May: Nottingham Forest v London Mavericks (15:00)
- 15 May: Loughborough Lightning v Nottingham Forest (19:00)
- 24 May: London Pulse v Dragons (17:00)
