Lightning looking to silence Thunder and secure Superleague Grand Final spot

Loughborough Lightning Netball are gearing up for the biggest home game in their history on Saturday 30th June, as they take on Manchester Thunder in a semi-final clash that sees a place in the Vitality Netball Superleague Grand Final up for grabs.

Currently on an 11 game winning running run, Lightning know that victory over Thunder at the Leicester Arena is all that stands between them and a place in the final, where they’ll be out to go one better than last year’s runner-up finish.

Having defeated Wasps earlier this month, the side they lost out to in the final 12 months ago, the Loughborough University franchise go into the Saturday’s semi-final full of confidence.

England wing attack Ella Clark discussed Lightning’s recent good form:

“We’re definitely very happy with how the season’s gone since the Commonwealth Games break and we’re carrying a lot of momentum heading into this game. With 11 wins on the trot we can’t complain at all and the atmosphere within our squad is really good.

“I missed the semi-finals and finals last year after getting hurt in the last regular game of the season. That was very disappointing but I’m healthy and ready for this part of the season this time round. I hate sitting on the side-lines no matter what it is I’m doing, so I can’t wait to be part of the team this time and hopefully contribute to a successful end to the campaign.”

Everyone knows Thunder make formidable opposition however, so victory in Leicester on Saturday certainly isn’t a forgone conclusion. Of what it’ll take to secure the win Clark added:

“It’s going to take a lot of running and a lot of grit! Thunder are a very good team and they’ve played together for a long time so they have that connection – we’ve just got to be very clinical with what we do.”

With Lightning fans gifted one last chance to see Lightning play at home this season, Clark urged supporters to get their tickets and roar the team to glory on Saturday night.

“I’m expecting a lot of noise from our fans this weekend. Thunder will bring a group of away fans and they’ll be loud, but we’ll hopefully outnumber them and be even louder, especially if we can get that drum going!”

Tickets for Lightning’s biggest home game in history are available now by clicking here or heading to www.loughboroughlightning.com

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: PR 18/94

Loughborough University is equipped with a live in-house broadcast unit via the Globelynx network. To arrange an interview with one of our experts please contact the press office on 01509 223491. Bookings can be made online via www.globelynx.com

Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2018 QS World University Rankings, top in the country for its student experience in the 2018 THE Student Experience Survey and named University of the Year in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2018.

Loughborough is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 4th in the Guardian University League Table 2019, 7th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018 and 7th in The UK Complete University Guide 2019. It was also named Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017.

Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.

 

Categories