Lightning title tops Mentor’s memories

MILESTONES, medals MVP awards.

Sunshine Coast captain Geva Mentor has collected a stack of them in her decade of excellence in the world’s best netball competition.

The English goalkeeper won trans- Tasman titles with Adelaide in 2010 – when she was also grand final MVP – and the Melbourne Vixens in 2014 to go with being named Suncorp Super Netball MVP and last season with the Sunshine Coast.

And ahead of her 150th national league match this Sunday when the Sunshine Coast host the Adelaide Thunderbirds, the 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist says winning the inaugural Super Netball title with the Lightning in 2017 was the highlight.

“There have been so many incredible milestones along the way, it’s difficult to top Lightning taking out the premiership in its first year,’’ Mentor said. “I feel privileged to captain a side made up of such incredible women. To come in number one in our first year was the icing on the cake.”

The Lightning got their title defence back on track with an impressive win over Collingwood in Melbourne last weekend to snap a three- game losing streak.

The Sunshine Coast showed all their champion qualities to stamp their authority on the star- studded home side early then hold their nerve when the Magpies finished with a flurry.

Mentor and her defensive partner Karla Pretorius were outstanding for the Lightning, who recaptured some of the form that carried them to glory last year.

The win was more noteworthy given Sunshine Coast head coach Noeline Taurua missed the game to be in New Zealand with her ill father.

The Lightning ( 1- 3) will start heavy favourites against the hapless Thunderbirds who are yet to win a solitary quarter this season to be winless, pointless and nailed to the bottom of the ladder after four rounds.

Mentor said the win over Collingwood had done wonders for the Sunshine Coast, who lost their first three games by a combined total of just seven goals.

“The mood is really positive among the team this week and we have a higher skip in our walk after Sunday’s match,” Mentor said.