London Pulse Top The NSL Table with 66-34 Win V Leeds Rhinos

Going into Round 11 on Easter Saturday Pulse were excited to bring another win in front of a raucous home crowd against Leeds Rhinos. A solid start from both teams saw the score level at 10-10 halfway through the first quarter. But Pulse were the team to break the impasse with Berri and Funmi making turnovers that saw Pulse take a 7 goal lead into the first break – 20-13.

Pulse made no changes to start Q2 and get off to a strong start pulling the lead out to 8 with 5 minutes gone in the Q. A blood change for Olivia Tchine saw Berri move to GS and Sacha McDonald enter the game at GA. With 3 more goals scored, Olivia returned to court and the starting 7 was back in place. With huge defensive pressure from Funmi, Hali and Zara combined with fast ball through court and speed, power and accuracy flowing through the attacking unit with Jade and Chelsea feeding with ease and Berri and Liv on fire, it was another cracker of a quarter for Pulse. Berri summed it up with a buzzer beating long bomb that saw nothing but net and Pulse went into the half time break leading 34-21.

Still no changes for Pulse moving into the 3rd quarter and the turnover to goal just kept on landing. Slick ball through court was the order of the day with Pulse players finding each other like they had some sort of telepathic connection. Ellie Rattu entered the court at C and shortly after Alicia at WA and the team did not skip a beat. With a quarter left to play the score sat at 48-26 – Pulse taking the 3rd 14-5.

The final quarter saw pulse ring in the changes: Keable to GKEllie to WD Ash to C Sacha to GA

The quarter saw Pulse working through the new combinations and combining a tight and impressive defense with an attacking end that was eager to feed a cirle that was calm on the shot. The match ended with a 32 goal lead for Pulse – 66-34.

The high margin win sees Pulse at the top of the Superleague Table – tied on points with Thunder but holding a strong goal difference.

Sam Bird had this to say after the game: “ We want our defensive unit to be one that no one wants to play against and we are really getting there. I’ve got to be pleased with that performance.”

A great night for the Pulse side, all 12 players on court and every quarter won. The PoM was awarded to super shooter Olivia Tchine. She commented: “When you have coaches and teammates that believe in you – you can just put out great performances. We are trying to make history and the top four is looking nice.”

Next up Pulse face Team Bath away on Friday 14th April