Storm Surge recovered from a midweek loss to champions Lindo’s Tigers by beating Phoenix Heat 27-19 in the Netball Bermuda Winter League.

Tigers, who were awarded a walkover victory over St George’s, top the five-team Premier Division standings with nine points. Storm are second, three points behind, while Phoenix are yet to register a win.

Kaamilah Nasir and MVP Elishae Smith scored 12 goals each for Storm, with Inshan-Nae Smith contributing three points.

K’Xiyae Gibbons was the leading scorer for Phoenix with 16 goals and Hailey Trott chipped in with three. Centre Jaya Dillas was named the Phoenix MVP.

Debré Evans, the Storm captain, commended her for holding off a determined Phoenix.

“It was a hard-fought match on both sides, with Phoenix capitalising on all our mistakes,” Evans said.

“But if we want to have a great season we need to limit the amount of mistakes we make as a team.

“We always knew the season would be hard as we have a bench of eight players. The Netball Bermuda Premier Division houses the most elite of the senior teams, so every match will have its own challenges.

“Phoenix has always been a stiff competition, there’s a reason they won the league back-to-back so many times.

“We stuck to our game and pushed through to the end, but I think two games in such a short time frame was hard for us.”

Kianté Lightbourne, one of the Phoenix senior players, felt that they were slow to get off the blocks.

“We started the game pretty well on Saturday, but let them go on a bit of a run in the second quarter, which ultimately is what let us down,” she said.

“We definitely turned it around and won the third quarter 7-4, but unfortunately we just were not able to build on the momentum.

“It’s important that we build on the positives and one of those positives on Saturday was definitely Jaya Dillas, who was very influential in that match, getting key turnovers and making important passes into the circle.

“She always gives us her all when she plays with us and her hard work on the court is paying off, she is performing really well.”

While things are not going well for the Phoenix senior side, their junior teams are flourishing, with coach Erika Russell fielding some of the younger players a chance to showcase their talent in the Premier Division.

“Our junior programme is going to continue to be quite involved with our senior programme this season,” Lightbourne added.

“By giving them these opportunities, it allows them to grow their game and improve on their own skills and also gives us coverage from some injuries and absences that we are working with.

“They get to take what they have learnt in these Premier Division games back to their own divisions and shine.”