Team Bath host Superleague champions
Team Bath take-on Hertfordshire Mavericks in a crucial third versus fourth clash in the Fiat Netball Superleague at the University of Bath on Thursday (23 February).
The contest, being televised live on Sky Sports, features the only two teams to have won the Superleague trophy in the six years of the competition.
Team Bath go into the game in fourth place in the Superleague hoping to make it three wins in a row following back-to-back victories on the road over Loughborough Lightning and Team Northumbria.
It was Saturday’s 52-41 win over Northumbria in Newcastle that saw Team Bath climb into the Superleague’s top-four for the first time this season.
Mavericks, the reigning Superleague champions, go into the game in third place. Both teams will be keen to nail a top-four finish at the end of phase one of the Superleague, when the competition splits into top and bottom tiers for phase two.
Team Bath head coach Jess Garland said Team Bath fans can cheer the team to victory against Mavericks.
“Mavericks won’t be an easy game at all, on paper we’d expect it to be a tight encounter,” she said. “We have fantastic support and I’d encourage people to come along and get behind the team. Their support can make a massive difference.”
Garland said she was pleased to see the team secure their second win in a row on Saturday.
“We were pleased to get back-to-back wins. It was a tight game on Saturday and it was good that we built on our lead over the four quarters.
“We’ve got a big week ahead of us and we’ll be looking to up our game again on Thursday,” she said.
Team Bath round off their phase one campaign with a home game against Yorkshire Jets on Friday 2 March.
Team Northumbria v Team Bath match facts
Starting seven: GS Kadeen Corbin, GA Asha Francis (C), WA Amanda Trounce, C Mia Ritchie, WD Becky Watkins, GD Gemma Fletcher, GK Sam Cook.
Bench: Scarlett Williams, Emily Rose, Kat Hayes, Kate McGinley, Millie Grey.
Q2 changes: Francis to GS, Corbin to GA, Williams to WD. Q4 changes: Corbin to GS, Francis to GA.
Shooting stats:
Kadeen Corbin: 34/40 – 85 per cent
Asha Francis: 18/25 – 72 per cent
