Can The Lightning Strike?
With a wealth of sporting talent and a base on one of the UK’s finest sporting Universities, Loughborough Lightning have what it takes to mess with the best. They just have a hard time showing it. Last year’s admirable fourth place result must’ve come as a bitter blow to the team who were so close to beating Team Bath Netball in the 2005-2006 playoffs. It is important for Loughborough Lightning to be as consistent as their potential suggests they should be; arch rivals Bath are unlikely to lose many (if any!) matches in the coming season and for Loughborough to challenge they need to keep a similar record.
Squad
Loughborough is one of the sides in the netball Superleague to contribute a handful of players to the ladies’ England international side. There are some big names here with England captain Olivia Murphy leading the charge (and taking charge of the assistant coaching duties too, the hardworking lady) and it is clear that the squad has much more potential than last year’s 4th-place league finish suggests.
The Loughborough Lightning squad for the 2007-2008 season is as follows:
Player Name [position(s)] (see Netball Positions for a key)
Alex Astle [GS]
Rebecca James [GS, GA]
Heather Clarke [GA, GS]
Ama Agbeze [GA, GK ,GS]
Lauren Doyle [GS, GA]
Katy Rose [WA, GA]
Lisa Stephenson [GA, WA]
Natasha Hampshire [C, WA]
Sarah-Jane O’Sullivan [C, WA]
Olivia Murphy [C, WA, WD] Captain
Vicky Percy [WD, C, WA]
Jade Clarke [WD, C, WA]
Kate Murphy [WD, C, GD]
Charlotte Oneill [WD, C, WA]
Kara Luck [GD, WD]
Verona Tomlin [GD, GK]
Sarah Penny [GK, GD]
Hannah Reid [GK, GD]
Fixtures
For Loughborough Lightning’s 2007-2008 netball Superleague fixtures, see our comprehensive Netball Superleague Fixtures list.
Summary
Perhaps a few good performances early on will give Loughborough Lightning the confidence they need to realise their potential. Team Bath are not beatable and the Lightning know this: they hold the accolade of handing Team Bath their ONLY defeat in the history of the Netball Superleague. When the team met in the playoff that ended the 2005-2006 season Bath found the match a little too close for comfort. Loughborough can do it. Will it be this season?