Defending champions Sunshine Coast Lightning have opened their 2019 Super Netball account in emphatic style, thrashing last year's grand finalists West Coast Fever 80-55.
Both line ups were markedly different from the grand final match up last year at the same Perth venue, but it was a similar result with Lightning proving too strong in all departments in the second round clash.
Fever were without inspirational captain Courtney Bruce and she was badly missed as Sunshine Coast's Ugandan shooter Peace Proscovia dominated with 48 goals from 54 attempts in the 25-goal win.
Jhaniele Fowler battled hard with 51 goals for Fever but she dearly missed the creativity around her of Nat Medhurst, who was moved on after last year's grand final loss.
After Fever led early 3-2, Lightning took over with eight of the next nine goals and they never looked back.
They led 21-15 by quarter-time and had stretched that advantage to an 18-goal lead by half-time. Lightning scored the first four goals of the third quarter and despite conceding the last three before three quarter-time, were still up 60-40.
Sunshine Coast ensured they took all four bonus points with 25 goals to 20 in the fourth quarter.
On top of Proscovia's 48 goals, Steph Wood scored 18 and Cara Koenen 14 in the last quarter.
Fowler didn't receive much support with Alice Teague-Neeld goalless on five shots. Kaylia Stanton scored four goals.
Lightning coach Noeline Taurua said there was fine-tuning with her side after the opening round's shock 14-point loss to Collingwood.
"This week we were able to get the value out of that defensive end, but once again it's just about working with our combinations and strategy, and embedding it and getting those foundations put into real time," Taurua said.
"I thought it was a good defensive effort right through from our attack end, and we've been working really hard to try and get the opposition to turn the ball over through tough defence. I thought that at moments we did that today."
Fever coach Stacey Marinkovich made no excuses despite the absence of Bruce.
"We didn't come out as a collective on-song today I don't think. It wasn't in any one particular area, everyone contributed probably not to their best or what they are capable of," Marinkovich said.
"I thought we gave them too much space across the court which enabled them to grow great confidence, and they certainly let that ball go quick."
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