Share Wasps made it two wins on the bounce with victory over Surrey Storm [Image: Morgan Harlow] Wasps won their second game on the bounce as they defeated Surrey Storm 65-52 to continue their impressive late-season revival. Following a thrilling, morale-boosting victory over Leeds Rhinos last time out, Wasps looked confident heading into this Vitality Netball Superleague clash against Surrey Storm. It was the visitors however who broke the deadlock and carved open a 2-0 lead at the start of the game. Wasps were unfazed by this setback and scored three unanswered goals to fly into a lead of their own, which they would then retain for the rest of the game. Iona Christian, Player of the Match against Rhinos, was on top form at the start of quarter one, feeding Rachel Dunn and Lucy Parize to carry the hosts into a 4 point lead, before Storm battled back to close the gap to 2 points at the end of the quarter. The tight first period ended 14-12 in favour of the hosts. Storm surged back at the start of Q2, levelling the score within minutes and threatening to snatch back the lead, but Wasps were composed in their reaction. Captain Josie Huckle and Goal Defence Ella Powell-Davies worked wonders as a defensive pairing, and their efforts in catching rebounds and making interceptions helped Wasps tear ahead of their opposition once more. The home side experienced possibly their strongest period of the match in this second quarter, capitalising on Storm’s few mistakes and extending their lead up to 7 goals. Mel Mansfield, taking charge of her 100th league game for Wasps, will be proud of the way her side took control of the game and rectified an issue which has plagued them throughout the season – keeping hold of the lead. Wasps were composed across the court and their quiet confidence saw them soar ahead of Storm and go into the half-time break 32-25 up. Momentum shifted in Storm’s favour in quarter three, as the visitors rallied to close the gap and give themselves a chance in the final period. The away side found their feet in the first five minutes of the quarter and forced Wasps into a number of errors, which gave Surrey the chance to pounce. However whether due to tiredness having playing back-to-back games, or perhaps frustrated by Wasps’ domination over the game thus far, Storm were unable to catch up with their opponents. They will surely rue their wayward passes and wasted shots during this period of play, but credit must also be given to Wasps for their resilience in defence. Powell-Davies and Huckle, supported by Lauren Nicholls, were on top of their game in the second half and Storm couldn’t find a way past Wasps’ defensive wall, meaning the hosts were able to finish the quarter 47-41 with a 6 point lead heading into the final period. Although the fourth quarter looked as if it might be a tense and competitive affair, Wasps instead took charge and ran rampant over the exhausted away side. Player of the Match Rachel Dunn truly earned her accolade in this period of play, harassing the Storm net and helping the hosts open up a huge gap as they galloped towards victory. The visitors’ brave defence collapsed in the face of Dunn’s relentless attack, and Wasps cruised to the finish line to win by 13 goals, with the score-line reading 65-52 at the final whistle. It was an incredible display from Mel Mansfield’s side, who were brimming with confidence as they registered back-to-back wins for the first time in this campaign. You can also watch the highlights from all the games in the VNSL 2022 season HERE. Buy tickets to support Wasps at their home games here and support Surrey Storm at their home ground by buying tickets here. Follow @NetballSL on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or subscribe to our newsletter for the latest Vitality Netball Superleague news. Share Tags: Wasps Surrey Storm