The Islander had led Team Bath into the 2021 Grand Final with a player-of-the-match display against defending champions Manchester Thunder in Saturday’s semi-final, but the West Country outfit were second-best from start to finish in the trophy clash as Lightning claimed their first league crown with a 49-32 triumph.
Guthrie, thrice a winner between 2007-2013, had told Sky Sports that Bath – the Superleague’s most successful club, with six titles in total – needed to ‘ride the crest of the wave’ after their semi-final success and they would have fancied their chances to improve their overall record.
A wayward first centre-pass from the Loughborough’s Natalie Panagarry – straight off court – gave Bath an early turnover but the girls in blue and gold were quickly falling flat.
Uganga international Mary Cholhok proved a formidable force in the shooting circle for Loughborough and they were ruthless from the outset. An 11-7 advantage at the end of the first quarter was extended to 22-14 by half-time.
Bath could not buy a goal, with errors and disjointed play offering Lightning ample opportunities to pull – and stay – clear. With eight goals in it at the end of Q3 [31-24] Bath still held a sliver of hope but Guthrie and Co failed to turn the tide. From there, the surge only became stronger.
