A blistering eight goal final quarter has seen Australia thrash China 17-7 in their fourth game of the FINA World League Asia / Oceania qualifying tournament in Auckland.
The 10 goal victory was a massive shift from the first time the two teams played in this tournament when Australia eeked out a 15-13 penalty shootout win.
The Aussie Stingers led 6-3 at half time despite several missed opportunities in attack and China’s woeful extraman conversion rate but it was in the fourth term that Australia flexed its collective muscle.
Rising star Elle Armit finished the game with five goals for Australia whilst Lea Barta in goals and London Olympic quartet Nicola Zagame, Bronwen Knox, Rowie Webster and Ash Southern were the Stingers’ best.
Barta, playing in her first game of the tour said the Stingers let themselves down with some missed chances in the opening half but pulled things together after the main break.
“We had lots of opportunities in the first half that we didn’t quite finish,” Barta said.
“We made some silly skill errors that led to a lot of counter defence too but in the second half we were able to convert our opportunities and remain much more controlled in attack.
AIS-WAIS athletes Zoe Arancini and Eliesha Browne both represented the Stingers in the match.
Earlier:
The Australian women’s water polo team, the Aussie Stingers, have continued their undefeated run at the FINA World League qualifying tournament in Auckland with a scrappy 10-5 victory over hosts New Zealand.
The Kiwis, desperate to upstage their highly credentialed neighbours, came out firing in the first half restricting Australia to a 5-4 lead at the main break.
Employing a very physical press the Kiwis frustrated the Stingers attack, forcing them into an uncharacteristic one from six in extra man.
The third term was a different story with the London Olympic bronze medallists thundering home four goals to one to break open the contest.
Co-captain Rowie Webster continued her dominant form with a game high four goals, while Bronwen Knox (2), Nicola Zagame, Ash Southern, Isobel Bishop and Holly Lincoln-Smith all found the back of the net.
Centre-forward Jess Martin, who played an instrumental role in setting up a key attacking opportunity late in the piece, said it felt good to contribute to the winning cause, but admitted that the team would have to improve against New Zealand in their return clash.
“It’s really positive for me to be able to contribute to the team when I get in. That’s my job and my role is to work really hard and try and earn something positive for the team in just a few minutes,” Martin said.
“It was quite different to the last couple of games that we played this week. They are a really physical team and so we struggled a bit tonight with some defensive turnovers.
“Next time we play them we really have to work on adjusting to their style of game, playing really clean water polo and adjusting to the referees so we can use all our attacking opportunities.”
– Water Polo Australia
