Mavericks return home in memorable London fixture
Saracens Mavericks took on London Giants in their first home match since 7th March 2020.
It had been over 20 months since Mavericks could play in front of their fans and Saturday was the triumphant return they had all been waiting for.
This male versus female showdown saw the VNSL stalwarts take on the 2021 men’s national champions in an exciting, athletic and intense showdown. Both sides brought their best match play, putting on an incredible showcase of netball. Fans in the venue and streaming online weren’t able to call who would take the win until the final minutes.
Giants took an early lead, quickly garnering a five-goal lead before Mavericks could even get a point on the board. Mavericks soon settled, answering back and kept the match alive. Giants led at the end of the first quarter 9-17.
The start of the second quarter was thrilling. Mavericks came out all guns blazing and turned the score line on its head. Within five minutes, they had brought the match back within fighting distance. Giants pulled their lead slightly in the final minutes of the quarter and the score was 24-30 to the men’s side.
The intensity was kept up in the third quarter, with both sides giving it their all. Although Giants held their lead, Mavericks were hot on their tails, staying within a few goals. As the match became more tightly contested, both sides brought out all the stops and had the crowd on their feet.
Going into the final quarter, Giants led by four points. Creating every opportunity to pull ahead, they wore down Mavericks and started to generate a larger lead. Mavericks did not give up the fight, and went for every ball, persistently putting their bodies on the line to regain possession. The match ended with Giants taking the win 46-56.
