After just missing out against UWS Sirens the previous week last night’s homecourt clash against Mavericks represented a chance for Te Aroha Keenan’s side to redeem themselves - looking ahead to a tough Saturday night trip to Wasps.
But it seems that it will take something special to get Team Northumbria out of their early-season rut as the bottom team fell to their sixth successive defeat of the season.
Mavericks boasted former Australian Netball League Player of the Year and veteran goal scorer Karyn Bailey in their starting seven.
But this didn’t detract from TN enjoying a productive night in front of goal themselves – the club;s 53 goals a 2018 NSL season-high.
Mavericks began the televised NSL fixture by winning the centre pass but it was TN who struck first with England U21 international Chiara Semple giving the hosts the lead.
Only a single goal separated the sides at the end of the first quarter - Mavericks with the advantage entering the second.
End to end play continued throughout the following 15 minutes, the ball yo-yoing up and down the court at Northumbria University’s Sport Central in an electric display of netball at the packed venue.
Semple had the crowd up on their feet when her last-gasp effort appeared to beat the half-time buzzer but no goal was given and the two teams went into the break tied at 32-32.
But TN have struggled in the third quarter this campaign and it was the same old story after the interval.
Sinking only 10 goals, TN took their foot off the gas and allowed Mavericks to open up an 11-point lead in the penultimate quarter – giving themselves a mountain to climb.
The Hertfordshire-based side accelerated for the remainder of the match, moving the ball quickly and dominating possession to see the game out 71-53 and clinch their fifth win of the season.
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