KSTA United Women turned the tables on Landislake Lions in the WBL on Friday evening, securing an 86:66 win at home. The result flipped expectations, as the visitors had arrived riding a second-place standing after 27 games and 22 victories. KSTA, sitting in sixth, showed they could compete with the league's elite when the stadium was theirs.
And here's the thing — the home side controlled the tempo from the opening minutes. They built a cushion early and never let the visitors close the gap, switching to a back three in defensive shape that frustrated Landislake's attack. The Lions looked disjointed, losing their man in transition and giving away cheap fouls that killed any rhythm.
To be fair, this wasn't the form shown by Landislake earlier this season. Their last three matches against Grasshoppers ended in defeats — 66:80, 59:72, 82:97 — and the momentum had clearly shifted. By then, the confidence that carried them to second place had evaporated, and the stadium fell silent whenever they touched the ball.
KSTA's record tells a different story at home. Sixteen losses on the road don't paint the full picture, and this performance suggested the academy graduates and veterans had finally clicked. They weren't just surviving; they were dictating play, and the table goes out the window in these games when one side decides to impose itself.
We had backed the visitors for victory, giving 58 per cent confidence before kickoff. The match went another way entirely. Landislake's recent form, combined with KSTA's home resilience, proved more decisive than reputation. The prediction didn't materialise, and that's how these fixtures often turn.
The result leaves KSTA still in sixth but with renewed belief, while Landislake's lead narrows in the standings. Two teams separated by eleven places now look closer on the pitch, and the gap in points may not matter as much as the gap in momentum.
