The Sydney Uni women’s water polo team has finished the last weekend of National Water Polo League (NWPL) round games with a pair of wins prior to this week’s finals series in Brisbane.
The Lions proved far too strong for finals aspirants Cronulla, winning 9-2 in cold conditions at Sutherland Aquatic Centre. Sarah Harris defied her continuing knee soreness to top score with three goals, whilst skipper Keesja Gofers and Isobel Bishop netted two apiece along with singles to Emily Scott and Gi Clark.
Former Olympic goalkeeper Alicia McCormack, standing in for injured Stingers goalie Lea Yanitsas, was in great form against her old club.
Sydney Uni then travelled to Ashfield on Sunday to take on perennial rivals UNSW-Wests and despite a shaky start the Lions prevailed 9-7. Gofers was in fine touch with four strikes, whilst Hannah Buckling, coming back from a severe shoulder problem, scored two with one apiece to Harris, Clark and Scott.
Those results leave the Lions with a 15-7 season record, good enough for outright fourth place in the NWPL – a big improvement on last year’s seventh place finish.
They now travel to Brisbane for Thursday evening’s first round finals confrontation with the fifth placed Queensland Breakers, whose line-up includes current Australian captain Bronwyn Knox.
The six team finals series is then re-ranked after the first round dependant on results, with the grand final due to take place on Sunday afternoon at the Valley Pool.
Progress scores can be seen via Twitter on the Australian Water Polo website, with the Lions v Breakers game scheduled to start at 6pm on Thursday.
