The Australian women’s water polo team featuring WAIS athletes Glencora Ralph and Zoe Arancini has suffered its second successive penalty shootout defeat going down to Spain 14-13 in their 5th to 8th playoff game at the FINA World League Super Finals in Beijing, China.
The result follows on from the Stingers 17-16 quarter final loss to Hungary on Tuesday, and their agonising one goal defeats to Spain and Italy during the group stage.
It was another case of so near yet so far for the Stingers as twice they fought back from multiple goal deficits to eventually level at 10-10 on the buzzer.
Bronwen Knox and Holly Lincoln-Smith gave the Stingers a fighting chance converting both of their penalty attempts, but the Spanish were unstoppable leaving Aussie keeper Kelsey Wakefield with little answer.
Rowie Webster finished the game with four goals, with London Olympic team mates Knox adding three and Lincoln-Smith and Southern scoring two.
Stingers head coach Greg McFadden was disappointed with the outcome, but said it was a great learning curve for the girls and believed it was no mean feat to play a penalty shootout against the London Olympic silver medallists.
“They’re the Olympic silver medallists and we had our opportunities and unfortunately didn’t make the most of them. We definitely played well in patches, the best this team has played,” McFadden said.
“To lose in a penalty shootout against the Olympic silver medallists is not the end of the world. To have to play a shootout is a great experience, mentally.”
Spain’s Anna Espar set the game alight with the two opening goals from the right side of the pool, before Lincoln-Smith responded on extra man at 1:52 to make it 2-1 at quarter time.
There was more action in the second quarter as captain Jennifer Pareja and Maica Garcia extended Spain’s advantage to 4-1, only for the London Olympic bronze medallists to hit back with Southern adding a double, Webster firing home a backhand at centre forward and Knox converting after a time out.
Australia’s 5-4 lead was immediately cut short as Roser Tarrago started her dream run with a six-metre shot at 0:42 to close the half scoring. Webster regained the lead for Australia early in the third with a shot from the top on extra, but Tarrago from the left and Pilar Pena on extra man ified the Stingers and Spain were back ahead 7-6.
Nicola Zagame once again levelled with a strike from the top on extra, but another one-two from Tarrago and Pena saw Spain edge ahead 9-7 at three-quarter time.
Webster pulled one back on extra at 5:59 in the fourth quarter, but a third to Espar restored Spain’s two goal buffer, until Knox and Webster sent home successive backhanders from the two metres to make it 10-10.
Spain used two timeouts in the final 52 seconds to find a winner, but could not squeeze one past the Australian defence, sending the game into a shootout.
Spain won the toss and sent Ona Meseguer to the line first. She scored, but when Southern’s shot was blocked Spain immediately held the advantage. Knox and Lincoln-Smith both converted, but after a miss by Zagame the game was all but over, with Laura Lopez nailing Spain’s fifth penalty to seal the victory.
Lincoln-Smith, who was dominant at centre forward for the Stingers, said the narrow defeats to Spain, Hungary and Italy could become a potential blessing in disguise for the team.
“There are positives for us with a new team in a new cycle. We learn our weaknesses and strengths. We only have to improve the little things and we could be the best in the world,” Lincoln-Smith said.
“Not now, but we will get there in time. We are playing solidly against the Olympic silver medallists. Come the World Championships and we make fewer mistakes, then we will go close.”
The Stingers final game of the FINA World League Super Finals will be against Canada at 2pm today, where they will hope to build some momentum ahead of their World Championship campaign in July.
– Water Polo Australia
