Lightning’s sign of life

SUNSHINE Coast Lightning displayed all the fighting qualities of a champion side with a drought-breaking 52-50 victory over Collingwood in Melbourne yesterday.

Without their coach Noeline Taurua, who was in New Zealand to be with her ill father, and staring down the barrel of a 0-4 start to their Super Netball championship defence, the odds were stacked against the Lightning as they faced the star-studded Magpies team.

But the Lightning lifted the trophy in 2017 for a reason.

They are made of seriously tough stuff and, under the guidance of assistant coach Kylee Byrne, captured their first win of 2018 after surviving a stirring fourth-quarter comeback from Collingwood.

The Sunshine Coast won the first three quarters at Margaret Court Arena to bank three bonus points and hold an eight-goal buffer at threequarter time after leading by as many as nine goals.

The Magpies closed to within two goals after changing up their defensive approach by conceding the first pass and flooding the back-end of the court to make life difficult for the Lightning shooters, who had been enjoying the open spaces.