Australia has completed a clean sweep of its six matches in the women’s FINA World League Asia / Oceania qualifying tournament in Auckland with a 15-7 victory over New Zealand.
The win ensured the Aussie Stingers maintained their unbeaten start to 2013 with seven wins in as many matches over China, Japan and the Kiwis and earned themselves a berth in the 2013 FINA World League finals that begin in Beijing on June 1.
The New Zealanders came out strongly in the game’s first quarter, putting in one of their best efforts of the week to trail world number three Australia 5-4 at the first break before the Stingers took control.
Australian co-captain Rowie Webster was later named player of the tournament.
The Stingers will head into camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra next Wednesday before flying out to China for the World League finals on May 29.
Western Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holders Zoe Arancini and Eliesha Browne represented Australia throughout the qualification tournament.
Earlier:
The Australian women’s water polo team, the Aussie Stingers, have made it five wins on the trot after defeating Japan 12-5 on day five of the FINA World League Qualifiers in Auckland.
The victory follows the Stingers’ sensational 17-7 rout of arch rivals China on day four. Dual Olympian Bronwen Knox led the scoring with three goals, while KFC Queensland Breakers club mate Olivia King and Sydney University star Keesja Gofers each pitched in with two.
King opened the scoring in the first term with Isobel Bishop and Rowie Webster both firing home, before the London Olympic quartet of Nicola Zagame, Holly Lincoln-Smith, Ash Southern and Knox each netted in the second to give Australia a 7-3 lead at half time.
Australia extended their dominance in third powering home three goals to nil. Gofers added a quick double, while King converted her first to make it 10-3. Knox then added the finishes touches in the deciding term to cap off a comfortable night for the Olympic bronze medallists.
Despite the lopsided score line Knox said it was a difficult matchup for the Stingers and believed the girls would need to be more switched ahead of their final encounter.
“It’s a little disappointing after playing so well the day before. We were a bit lax in intensity and it showed with us missing our basic skills in some of our passing and shooting, but we’ve got a big game tomorrow and hopefully we can come out with the win,” Knox said.
“It’s hard against Japan as they really open up a lot of options and it’s difficult to choose one and make sure it is the correct one. It really makes you second guess yourself so I’m pleased that I picked the right options and the goals went in.”
– Water Polo Australia
