Thunder were quick on the loose ball in a cagey opening quarter and made full use of the supershot to build a 19–12 lead. Despite opportunities to stay within touching distance, Lightning’s shooting errors let the visitors edge ahead.
Crucial changes followed in the second quarter. Head Coach Vic Burgess introduced Ella Clark for Berri Neil and Jodie Gibson for Shadine Van Der Merwe, and the impact was immediate. Gibson’s intensity in defence disrupted Thunder’s flow, while Clark’s movement paired with a supershot masterclass from Samantha Wallace-Joseph turned the game on its head.
Lightning clawed back to 28–28 before racing into a seven-goal lead at half-time, with the scoreboard reading 37–30.
The third quarter saw Thunder push again, but Lightning’s experience and composure showed. The defensive trio of Harvey, Gibson, and Cobden were relentless, frustrating Thunder’s attacking efforts.
With a 52–40 lead heading into the final quarter, Lightning never looked in danger. A professional finish across the court ensured they controlled the final minutes and powered into their fourth consecutive Grand Final.
Player of the match, Lightning's Alice Harvey: "It means so much. Last week's loss hurt but that was a performance we were proud of. It wasn't always easy but we showed grit.
"Never underestimate a Lightning bounce-back. We definitely want to do the three-peat and I think that performance showed that."
Lightning head coach Vic Burgess: "We needed a really strong second quarter to come back and it was 25-11 [in that quarter], and that's just huge. We were really high on energy and knew we just had to keep that consistency.
"The intensity of getting through this game, it'll give us a huge lift [for the Grand Final]."
They’ll now meet regular-season leaders London Pulse at The O2 on Sunday 6 July, with a historic third straight NSL title on the line. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.netballsl.com/tickets/