Mvula inspires Thunder to UK League title
UK-based netballer Joyce Mvula on Sunday inspired her club Manchester Thunder to beat last season’s champions Loughborough Lightning 60-53 to secure a fourth Vitality Netball Superleague title.
The 28-year-old scored 34 goals from 35 attempts to help the United Kingdom (UK) top-flight league outfit win the grand final for the first time in three years.
They have also become the second team in the league’s history to win the title without a loss in 22 games.
Prior to the latest ultimate glory, Thunder last won the league title in 2019. Their first-ever success was in 2012 followed by a similar feat in 2014.
A match report on www.skysports.com applauded Mvula’s performance in the clash saying: “In the circle, Joyce Mvula and Eleanor Cardwell rewarded almost every pass that came to them. In 60 minutes of netball, Thunder’s shooters each missed just one goal.”
In an interview with The Nation yesterday, Mvula attributed their success to hard work and determination to complete the season unbeaten.
“You can never get used to winning as every win is a fruit of a different challenge. And this time, our challenge was to finish the league undefeated and I am happy we did it. That’s a special win I am still processing as we speak,” she said.
Mvula has been instrumental in Thunder’s title campaign, finishing second on the league’s scorers chart with 774 goals, 79 behind top scorer Ugandan Peace Proscovia of Surrey Storm. She also bagged four Player of the Match Awards along the way.
Just like the previous season, the Malawi international, renowned for her strength, splits and shooting accuracy, had an outstanding shooting accuracy of over 90 percent.
Her compatriot Towera Vinkhumbo-Nyirenda finished as second player with the most turnovers and intercepts despite her team Strathclyde Sirens finishing the campaign on eighth place.
On turnovers, she has 106 just two behind Layla Guscoth of Team Bath. On intercepts, she has 60, five behind Guscoth.
As for Australia-based shooter Mwawi Kumwenda, her team Melbourne Vixens is expected to face Collingwood Magpies next week in the final round match to complete their regular season.
This comes after they won Suncorp Super Netball’s Minor Championship last weekend with a game to spare following a 51-47 comeback win over Adelaide Thunderbirds.
Malawi Queens coach Peace Chawinga-Kaluwa said she was happy with the individual performance of the players as that will help a lot as Malawi competes in the Commonwealth Games this July.
