DEFEAT for Wasps allowed Loughborough to extend their advantage over the chasing pack with four rounds remaining in the season.
Nine points now separate third-place Lightning from Exeter in fifth on an afternoon where they put Sharks to the sword in the second half.
Building on some early pressure, Lightning kept the ball in the forwards to score their first try of the day through Anya Richmond via a rolling maul.
Lightning had made seven changes for their trip north to Maiden Castle but the source of their second try was their everpresent wing Olivia Jones, who was unleashed down the left ...