Lightning edge out Pulse to extend unbeaten start

Loughborough Lightning beat defending Netball Super League (NSL) champions London Pulse 68-61 to extend their perfect start to the season in Nottingham.

Pulse deposed Lightning as champions in 2025 for their second title and both are again regarded as contenders to win the Grand Final this season.

Loughborough exacted some revenge when beating Pulse to win last month’s Netball Super Cup 18-17.

But this league victory was another early statement as the three-time Grand Final winners remain top after the opening three rounds, with Pulse three points further back in fourth.

Lightning’s Samantha Wallace-Joseph and Pulse’s Liv Tchine were joint top scorers in the match with 25 goals each.

Earlier, London Mavericks picked up their first win of the season at the third attempt with a 76-49 thrashing of Birmingham Panthers.

Mavericks moved up to fifth in the standings, with the winless Panthers bottom and without a point to their name.

On Friday, LexisNexis Dragons’ winless streak continued as they lost 69-55 against AO Manchester Thunder.

After losing to London Pulse by just one point last week, Dragons were comfortably beaten by the visitors.

Karen Greig’s side opened up a 15-13 lead by the end of the opening quarter and kept extending their advantage to seal a comfortable 14-point victory.

The Welsh outfit, who finished bottom of the revamped NSL last year after winning only two of their 14 matches, sit second after already matching that tally of victories this term.

BBC Sport will show one game per week during the regular season.

These are the games you can watch live on the BBC Sport website and iPlayer:

15 March: Nottingham Forest v Leeds Rhinos (16:00 GMT)

22 March: London Pulse v Nottingham Forest (18:00 GMT)

28 March: Loughborough Lightning v Birmingham Panthers (18:30 GMT)

4 April: London Pulse v Birmingham Panthers (17:00 BST)

11 April: Dragons v Birmingham Panthers (16:00 BST)

18 April: Loughborough Lightning v London Mavericks (18:00 BST)