MATCH REACTION | Camilla Buchanan (NSL Rd 10)
Head Coach Camilla Buchanan credited the fight shown by her side, as they gave champions Loughborough Lightning a stern examination away from home.
Lightning comfortably won the fixture between these two sides at HSV earlier in the season, but there was no easy ride here, as Mavericks tested them all the way.
Reflecting on the match, Buchanan credited the low error count and turnovers her side had secured on the night.
“I couldn’t be prouder of that. I said to the girls that it was in our hands to try and win that game, but we restricted them throughout with turnovers which was fantastic. Our errors were down to a much lower number which is brilliant against the team that’s top of the table. I’m so happy with that.”
Whilst obviously disappointed not to secure the win, Buchanan explained that she had challenged her side to make life difficult for Lightning, feeling that they did just that for the majority of the evening.
“There’s that winner in you that wants to be able to win these matches, but there were triumphs across the court. Last time we played them, I looked at their faces and saw them playing with comfort. We said to ourselves that we would not let that happen here and we didn’t.”
On a night where both defences had to work hard for turnovers and intercepts, Buchanan praised the work of Razia Quashie, as the Goal Keeper kept her side in the hunt throughout with several crucial interventions.
“We knew this was going to be a match with very few intercepts, but Razia came alive in that third quarter and did what she does best. We talked about rewarding her efforts in defence and we really stuck at it throughout. Lightning are a side who don’t spray the ball, so we needed to stay in it throughout, which we did throughout.”
Mavericks return home to Herts Sports Village next weekend and Buchanan is eager to see her side take the confidence built in the last two weeks into that home clash against Team Bath.
“The confidence in this group is key. This match and Monday night should give us bags of that for us to take into the next few rounds. I love that the group are rising to the big occasion playing sides at the top of the table, but we need to do that now against the teams around us in the table too. That’s the only way that we’re going to get the results we want in this second half of the season.”
