London Pulse have secured their place in the 2026 Netball Super League Soft & Gentle Grand Final after a 60-56 victory over Loughborough Lightning in the Preliminary Final.
There was little to separate the two sides heading into the match, with the two sharing the spoils across their regular-season meetings. Lightning claimed the first encounter in Round 2, securing a 68-61 victory on their home court, before Pulse responded in dramatic fashion in Round 10. After an enthralling contest finished level at the end of regular time, the London side emerged 75-71 winners after extra time.
The 2025 Grand Final champions will meet AO Manchester Thunder, their major semi-final opponents, in the Grand Final on the 20th of June at Co-op Live Arena.
London Pulse: Halimat Adio (GK), Funmi Fadoju (GD), Zara Everitt (WD), Gracie Smith (C), Alicia Scholes (WA), Sophie Kelly (GA), Liv Tchine (GS)
Substitutes: Darcie Everitt, Tyler Orr, Kamogelo Maseko
Loughborough Lightning: Jo Noel (GK), Celena Appleby-Prince (GD), Nat Panagarry (WD), Jess Shaw (C), Hannah Joseph (WA), Berri Neil (GA), Sammy Wallace-Joseph (GS)
Substitutes: Ella Clark, Alice Harvey, Shadine van der Merwe
Match Recap:
In the rematch of last year’s Grand Final, London Pulse took the win after a dominant four-quarter performance, which saw the London side triumph over their East Midlands opponents in the knockout stages for the second successive year.
The opening quarter was closely fought, as the teams went goal-for-goal throughout the first 15 minutes. Loughborough Lightning made the most of the Amex Super Shot period, with Samantha Wallace-Joseph converting 2 long-range efforts alongside 9 goals, while Berri Neil also added a two-point score. Sophie Kelly responded with Pulse’s only Super Shot of the quarter as the scores remained locked at 16-16.
The contest continued in similar fashion during the second quarter. While Lightning continued to capitalise on attacking opportunities, Pulse’s attacking combinations began to find greater rhythm. Gracie Smith was instrumental through centre court, producing a game-high 10 feeds in the quarter to help the hosts edge ahead. Pulse carried a slender 30-29 advantage into the halftime break.
Sam Bird’s side continued to build momentum after the restart. Kelly and Liv Tchine combined effectively in attack, helping Pulse outscore Lightning by a single goal for the second consecutive quarter. Their efforts ensured Pulse entered the final 15 minutes with a narrow 47-45 lead.
Pulse opened up their lead early in the fourth quarter, stretching it to five goals within the first five minutes. Despite Lightning’s efforts to mount a comeback, Pulse’s defensive unit stood firm with Funmi Fadoju and Halimat Adio consistently disrupting attacking feeds and helping maintain control during the decisive stages of the contest. Wallace-Joseph continued to pose a threat from range, but the home side remained composed under pressure. Player of the Match, Sophie Kelly, finished with 22 goals and 3 Amex Super Shots while also contributing defensively with 2 interceptions.
The defensive statistics highlighted Pulse’s dominance off the ball. The London side recorded 18 deflections, 15 gains, 6 interceptions and 8 pickups, compared to Lightning’s 5 deflections, 3 gains, 1 interception and 2 pickups.
The victory sends London Pulse into the Soft & Gentle Grand Final, where they will look to defend their Netball Super League crown, while Loughborough Lightning’s impressive run of four consecutive finals appearances comes to an end.
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