Stingers Too Good for Brazil

The Australian women’s water polo team, the Aussie Stingers, have come up against a plucky Brazilian side to win 9-6 in their second game of the 2014 FINA World League Intercontinental Cup in Riverside, California.

After her outstanding performance against China in the opening game, dual Olympic bronze medallist and WAIS scholarship holder Gemma Beadsworth was at her damaging best, again scoring four goals.

Young Stingers players Maddy Steere and WAIS athlete Lilian Hedges stood up to be counted amongst theirmore experienced team members with Steere scoring the game breaker, while Hedges played an outstanding game in goals.

The first quarter saw the Australians jump to a 2-1 lead with Beadsworth picking up where she left off in the Stingers’ opening game of the tournament to score the first, while Isobel Bishop took advantage of a rebound off the cage to take the Aussies second goal.

Brazil struck first after the break to level the scores, before Beadsworth lined up to convert an extra man opportunity into points for the Aussies. Despite the Stingers best defensive efforts, the Brazilians were able to put the ball in the back of the net late in the quarter to level the scores 3-3 at the main break.

A combination of good defensive pressure from Brazil and rushed attack from the Aussies caused costly mistakes for the Stingers early in the third stanza, allowing the Brazilians to take the lead 4-3. However, just 23 seconds passed before Australia’s Ash Southern equalised, with a further two unanswered goals off Beadsworth and Steere handing the Aussies a 6-4 at the final exchange.

Although Brazil rallied to score two goals in the final quarter, it was Stingers’ players Beadsworth, Keesja Gofers and captain Rowie Webster that all scored to ensure victory at the final whistle.

While pleased with the win, dual Olympian Beadsworth said the team didn’t perform as well as they would have hoped.

“You can’t underestimate a team like Brazil, they will be training hard with the Olympics in 2016, and they have a lot of experienced players…but probably we didn’t play our best game today,” Beadsworth said.

Beadsworth and Hedges were joined in action by WAIS colleagues Eliesha Browne and Jessica Zimmerman.

The Stingers next game will be against Venezuela who is yet to record a win at the tournament. The match will be played at 8am AEST on Friday with LIVE broadcast found at www.coachesaid.com

In other Water Polo news –

An Australian boy’s B96 squad has been announced for this year’s Youth World Championships in Turkey from August 2-10 featuring WAIS athletes; Luke Pavillard, Josh Zekulich and Alex Bogunonich.

A boy’s B95 squad has also been selected for a European tour later this year, that features WAIS athletes; Jordan Kremers-Taylor, Will Mackay, Fraser Smith and Andrew Ford.

This adds to an earlier announced women’s Youth World Championship team that includes WAIS athletes; Tess Hoskins, Pia Rodgers and Monique Robelo. WAIS coach Georgina Kovas has been selected as assistant coach for the Australian team at the tournament to be held in Spain from August 25-31.

A girls’ B95 squad was also announced for a European tour, with WAIS athletes; Geneveive Longman, Millie Martino and Jessica Zimmerman listed.

-WaterPoloAus