The Australian women’s water polo team, has begun its five match test series against Great Britain in fine style defeating the 2012 London Olympic hosts 13-5 at the AIS in Canberra on Tuesday.
In what was the Stingers’ first game since claiming a 2-1 series win against the USA in Sydney last month, the Aussie girls continued their impressive start to 2012 scoring 11 goals in the last three quarters to run away with the match.
WAIS-AIS scholarship holders Gemma Beadsworth and Glencora Ralph both featured in the match for the Stingers.
The Australian’s started slowly easing out to a 2-0 advantage at the first break, before turning on the afterburners courtesy of an Ashleigh Southern double in the second and third terms.
Southern’s supreme power was too much for the British in the end, as she netted four for the match while Rowie Webster and Bronwen Knox pitched in with three each.
Head coach Greg McFadden said although the defence was good, he believed the girls still needed to work on their extra-man attack.
“It was slightly disappointing as we really wanted to work on our extra-man attack, but our defense was good and we’re always going to improve,” McFadden said.
“Our aim is to always get better and after tonight there is a lot of improvement, but as the girls start to play more, the more they will get to know each other and hopefully come Thursday night the girls will be able to play like we did against the USA.
“This competition isn’t the end of the world, so we can work on things, but at the Olympics we can’t afford to have any bad games at all.”
The five test series is part of a weeklong training camp in Canberra as the Stingers continue their journey towards the London Olympics in July later this year.
The Stingers have won the past two championships they have entered, the 2011 Canada Cup and the 2012 Water Polo Pan Pacs in Melbourne, and the girls will be eyeing off further tournament wins at the London Olympic test event in May and the FINA World League finals in June on their way to London gold.
-Australian Water Polo
