Netball Superleague 2022: Team Bath record two wins to move to third

Team Bath boosted their Superleague play-off hopes as they moved up to third in the table with back-to-back victories in round 12.

They beat Surrey Storm 66-41 on Friday before comfortably overcoming London Pulse 62-41 on Monday.

Leaders Manchester Thunder maintained their unbeaten record with a rampant 78-53 victory over Severn Stars.

Strathclyde Sirens beat Leeds Rhinos 60-44 and Saracens Mavericks earned a 55-46 win over Celtic Dragons.

Bath earned their first back-to-back victories of the season, starting with Friday's victory over Storm as they limited prolific shooter Proscovia Peace to just 25 goals, her joint-lowest of the 2022 campaign.

Pulse, who earned a shock victory in the reverse fixture against Bath on the opening weekend of the Superleague season, crept back into Monday's game in the second quarter. But bolstered by last week's return of key players Imogen Allison, Layla Guscoth and Phumza Maweni, Bath finally look to be finding some similar form to last season.

Mavericks won just one of the four quarters on Saturday - but still did enough for victory as they kept a tenacious Dragons side at bay. The Cardiff-based side continue to search for their second win of the season.

Also on Saturday, Thunder scored more than 70 goals for the fifth time this season, continuing their relentless form with a comfortable win over Stars, who are bottom of the table on goal difference.

Next week, the Superleague's Spring Showdown takes place at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, where all 11 teams will feature in 10 games across the weekend.

The race for a coveted place in the top four - and a crack at the end-of-season play-offs - continues. Thunder and Loughborough Lightning look to have boxed off two of the spots, leaving two up for grabs.

Behind the top two, Bath, Mavericks and Pulse all sit on 21 points, separated only by goal difference, while Storm are still in the mix with 18 and Rhinos, whose chances were dashed somewhat by Sirens on Monday, still clinging on with 15.

Storm face a gruelling two days, with games against Thunder and Lightning, while Mavericks and Pulse each have what appear very winnable matches, against Stars and Wasps respectively, before they face each other in what could be a decider in the hunt for a semi-final spot.

Bath will take on Rhinos in their only fixture of the weekend.

Round 12

Friday, 8 April

Surrey Storm 41-66 Team Bath

Saturday, 9 April

Saracens Mavericks 55-46 Celtic Dragons

Manchester Thunder 78-53 Severn Stars

Monday, 11 April

Leeds Rhinos 44-60 Strathclyde Sirens

Team Bath 62-41 London Pulse