Lightning seal ninth straight play-off place at Dragons

Match report |

Dragons

62

Loughborough Lightning

82

lightning squad stood in a circle cheering and applauding

Loughborough Lightning secured their place in the Soft & Gentle Play-Offs for a ninth consecutive season with an assured 82–62 victory over LexisNexis Dragons.

The result, achieved with five matches still to play, underlined Lightning’s consistency at the top end of the league as they once again booked their spot in the post-season.

Experience Kissimmee Player of the Match Hannah Joseph was instrumental through the midcourt, producing a commanding display at wing attack. Joseph finished with 47 feeds as Lightning’s attacking unit moved the ball with speed and precision throughout the contest.

There was also a welcome return for Jo Noel, who made her first appearance since coming out of retirement. The defender quickly made her presence felt, collecting two gains and an interception in a busy outing against Dragons shooter Georgia Rowe, who converted 41 goals for the hosts.

In the circle, Lightning’s shooters impressed from range. Samantha Wallace-Joseph added 13 Amex Super Shots in another influential performance, while Zoe Matthewman enjoyed a memorable debut after stepping up from the NXT Gen squad. Matthewman hit seven Amex Super Shots, including four in succession, to take control of the outer ring.

With strong contributions across the court and another clinical team display, Lightning celebrated a milestone achievement as they confirmed their play-off place once again.