Wasps beat Severn Stars and Loughborough Lightning defeat Sirens

Wasps eased past Severn Stars in week 13 of the Vitality Superleague while leaders Loughborough were made to work hard before eventually seeing off Sirens.

Having already secured their play-off places, the top two continued their battle to top the regular standings and both recorded victories in very different style on a Bank Holiday where all 10 teams featured

Inside a packed Ericsson Indoor Arena and live on Sky Sports Mix, it was Stars who made a fast start, scoring the first three goals of the match to put Wasps on the back foot.

But the hosts regained their focus and, with both teams showcasing talented young attackers, there was nothing in it until the final minutes of the quarter when Wasps finished with a flourish to lead 13-11.

Stars' Iona Darroch and Wasps' George Fisher have enjoyed impressive seasons and both were on target impressively early on, Darroch picking up the slack with Ellie Cardwell uncharacteristically off target for the visitors.

With Lucy Harris and Hannah Reid impressing, Wasps came on strong over the second half of the second quarter, taking advantage of some impressive turnover ball to force home their advantage and open up a nine-goal lead heading into the interval.

Vitality Superleague Standings

As it stands after Week 13

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Wasps pushed on over the second half with Player of the Match Bongi Msomi growing in influence, the South Africa international was everywhere as Wasps headed into the final quarter leading 44-31 with Fisher's brilliant retrieval from Sam May's pass underlining their dominance.

With no let up in the final quarter, Wasps eased to their seventh win in succession, inflicting a second consecutive heavy defeat on the Stars.

With Wasps' victory in the bag, Tamsin Greenway's team drew level with Lightning for a few hours at least, until Karen Atkinson saw her side return to winning ways in Scotland and retake top spot.

Lightning suffered their first defeat of the season to Wasps on Saturday and they were rocked by a blistering Sirens start at the Emirates Arena.

However, the visitors gradually found their groove and with Beth Cobden again impressing, Loughborough made it 12 wins from 13 games for the season, overturning a six-goal deficit to run out 57-46 winners that means Sirens remain nine points adrift of the play-off spots.

Manchester Thunder remain third thanks to a 56-47 win against Team Northumbria.

Kathryn Turner and Liana Leota impressed for Karen Greig's side as they continue to track the leaders and with a nine-point advantage over fifth place, they are closing in on yet another appearance in the final four.

Elsewhere on a packed Monday of action, Team Bath blew open the race for the top four after a superb 56-49 victory over defending champions Surrey Storm.

The pair faced off in the first action of the day and it was fifth-placed Bath who emerged victorious after an epic tussle that saw both teams with chances to win before the visitors to Surrey Sports Park came away with the spoils.

In the end, fourth-placed Storm slipped to their fifth defeat in their last seven games and allowed Bath to close within three points with five games remaining and open the door for their conquerors Bath, Sirens and Mavericks.

Mavericks battled to a 59-53 victory against Celtic Dragons to maintain their own slim hopes of the top four. Robyn Broughton's team were beaten by Surrey at the Copper Box on Saturday but they bounced back well in Wales and with Storm losing to Bath, the gap to the play-off places is nine points.

Follow the next instalment of the Vitality Superleague on Sky Sports Mix on Monday when Team Bath host Wasps