Manchester Thunder Reach Netball Super League Grand Final
Manchester Thunder have become the first team to secure a place in the Netball Super League (NSL) Grand Final after defeating London Pulse 60-56 in the major semi-final on Saturday. The four-time champions will return to the NSL final stage after missing out last year.
London Pulse, the reigning champions, still have an opportunity to reach the title decider. They will face Loughborough Lightning in the preliminary final next week for the chance to challenge Manchester Thunder at Co-op Live on 20 June.
Preliminary Final Set Between London Pulse and Loughborough Lightning
Loughborough Lightning secured their place in the preliminary final by beating Nottingham Forest 77-57 in the minor semi-final earlier on Saturday. The winner of the upcoming match between London and Loughborough will earn the right to compete against Manchester Thunder in the Grand Final.
Thunder’s Regular Season Success and Semi-Final Performance
In the regular season finale last week, Thunder narrowly defeated Loughborough to claim top spot, relegating Lightning to third place. This victory also granted Thunder home advantage for their semi-final clash against London Pulse.
At the Manchester Velodrome, Thunder started strongly, leading 15-8 at the end of the first quarter. Although Pulse narrowed the gap to 30-24 by half-time and 43-39 after the third quarter, Thunder extended their lead to nine points midway through the final quarter and maintained their composure to secure the win.
Eleanor Cardwell’s Impact and Player of the Match
Eleanor Cardwell, who has participated in all of Thunder’s previous Grand Final victories, rejoined the team this season while recovering from a serious knee injury. The 31-year-old England shooter has faced challenges regaining her top form but was named player of the match after leading the team with 23 goals.
"She was really dominant in that attack end so I'm really proud of her," said Thunder coach Karen Greig.
"What a game. Pulse really brought it to us. There were ebbs and flows, a few wobbly moments, but ultimately the girls kept their heads."
Loughborough Lightning’s Dominant Win Over Nottingham Forest
In the earlier minor semi-final, Loughborough Lightning led 35-28 at half-time and increased their advantage by outscoring Nottingham Forest by 11 points in the third quarter, entering the final quarter with a 56-38 lead.
The match featured a contest between the season’s two leading shooters. Loughborough’s Trinidad and Tobago international Samantha Wallace-Joseph scored 38 goals, while Nottingham’s Rolene Streutker contributed 19 goals.
Jo Noel, who returned from retirement to join Lightning earlier this year, was named player of the match for her defensive efforts in limiting Streutker’s impact.
"Our defence did a great job of limiting what they could put up there," said Lightning head coach Vic Burgess.
"We've said that it's three finals to lift that trophy so we can't take our foot off the gas. We'll be getting straight on to it next week."
