2012 London Test Event: Stingers into Final with Win over Hungary

The Aussie Stingers will meet the USA in the final of the women's water polo test event in London today, in what both teams hope will be a preview of the Olympic final in August.

The Stingers started their final preliminary match against Hungary today as if a place in the Olympic gold medal match was on the line.

In the first minute, they scored two goals (to captain Kate Gynther and Sophie Smith) to set the tone for the match.

By quarter-time they led 5-1 and were in command. The Hungarians were never closer than two goals behind, despite making a second quarter rally.

The second half was closely fought but the Australians maintained an edge throughout the high-scoring match, winning 17-12.

For the second consecutive match, 19-year-old Ashley Southern was at the top of the score sheet, with four goals, equal with Gynther. For Hungary, Rita Keszthelyi was the strike weapon, scoring five goals.

Australian Coach Greg McFadden said his team had approached the match as if it was the Olympic semi-final.

"We set a goal that we didn't want to play for third and fourth here, or at the Games, we wanted to be in the gold medal match,'' McFadden said.

"Hungary were missing five of of their better players but they never give up and they are a dangerous team. They played a very heavy physical game and made it hard for us to get the ball to our centre forwards."

The Australians are looking forward to a re-match with the USA after going down 10-9 in a hard-fought preliminary match on Friday. "We will beat them tomorrow,'' McFadden vowed.

For Sophie Smith, who netted three goals in her 150th test for the Aussie Stingers, the performance was an improvement on the loss to the USA a day earlier, but conceded that they still had a lot to work on in defence.

"It was a much better game than yesterday, but obviously there's still a lot to work on. We made a lot of defensive errors and to allow 12 goals wasn't really acceptable," Smith said.

"In attack, however, we pretty well achieved what we wanted to achieve. Our team set up and ability to click as a group in front of goal really showed and to score 17 goals against any international team is quite impressive.

"We now have to produce the whole package against the USA and really go back to what we employed when we beat them three times at the Pan Pacs and test series in Australia in January."

The Aussie Stingers will face off against the USA in today's gold medal match at 8.20pm tonight Sydney time. A simulcast of the game can be streamlined on BBC Radio at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01gxqdz/episodes/guide

For the full scoresheet

For the full London Test Event schedule

Aussie Stingers

Victoria Brown, Gemma Beadsworth, Sophie Smith, Holly Lincoln-Smith, Jane Moran, Bronwen Knox, Rowie Webster, Kate Gynther, Glencora Ralph, Ashleigh Southern, Melissa Rippon, Nicola Zagame, Alicia McCormack. Note: Glencora Ralph did not play.

Result: Australia 17 bt Hungary 12

Qtrs: 5-1, 2-3, 5-4, 5-4

X man for: 4 from 4

X man against: Hungary scored 4 from 11

AUS Scorers: Ashleigh Southern 4, Kate Gynther 4, Sophie Smith 3, Holly Lincoln-Smith 2, Rowie Webster 2, Jane Moran, Melissa Rippon

AUS Saves: Victoria Brown 6 from 12; Alicia McCormack 4 from 10

AUS Best: Sophie Smith, Kate Gynther, Ashleigh Southern, Melissa Rippon, Holly Lincoln-Smith

Stingers go down to USA

The Australian women's water polo team, the Aussie Stingers, have gone down to the USA 10-9 in a thrilling match at the London Test Event in the Olympic Park's new Water Polo Arena.

In a tight game that ebbed and flowed throughout, the scores were locked at two-all at the first break, five-all at halftime and seven-all with one term to play before the Americans scored the victory.

The American win was some sort of revenge for the Beijing Olympic silver medallists following Australia's 7-4 gold medal triumph at January's Water Polo Pan Pacs in Melbourne.

For the Stingers the loss follows yesterday's 10-4 thrashing of hosts Great Britain.

Australian strike weapon Ash Southern scored five goals for the Stingers and said her side was positive despite the loss, identifying areas of improvement immediately after the game.

"I think we can take a lot out of the game," Southern said.

"In defence we can concentrate more on not allowing any centre forward goals.

"It was a bit frustrating to be a goal up and seeing them score a goal and then again go a goal up and see them score again.

"If we concentrate more on that defence then our attack will come. Moving forward in the tournament defence will be the key."

Southern said the chance to play the Test Event would help when the team arrived in London for the Olympics in July.

"It's been a great experience so far and playing in front of the biggest crowd I've ever played in front of is good to get the nerves out early and hopefully I'll be here back in July," she said.

The Australian's next game is against Hungary at 11pm AEST on Saturday night (May 5) with the winner expected to take on the USA in the gold medal match on Sunday.

Aussie Stingers

Result: Australia 9 lost to USA 10

Qtrs: 2-2, 3-3, 2-2, 2-3

X man for: 0 from 1; 1 from 1 penalties

X man against: USA scored 3 from 4; 1 from 1 penalties

AUS Scorers: Ashleigh Southern 5, Rowie Webster 2, Bronwen Knox, Melissa Rippon

AUS Saves: Victoria Brown 7 from 17

For the full score sheet,

For the full London Test Event schedule

Stingers off to great start with win over GB

The Australian women's water polo team, the Aussie Stingers, have claimed their opening game of the London Test Event defeating hosts Great Britain 10-4 at London Olympic Park's Water Polo Arena.

In their first international hit out since facing Great Britain in Canberra in February, the Stingers took control of the game from the opening whistle, gradually finding their form to seal the six goal win.

The Stingers got off to a steady start leading 4-2 at half time, before exploding in the last quarter netting four goals to one including a double from Nicola Zagame on the counter.

Victorian ace Rowie Webster netted four goals for the game, while Aussie Stingers captain Kate Gynther bagged a hat trick.

Beijing Olympian Alicia McCormack, who played the whole game in goals, said the victory was a great start to the tournament and that the girls were confident of building upon that heading into their next match.

"It was a good hit out for our first game. Obviously playing against Great Britain in the first game of the series, we had to come up against some tough refereeing, but I guess that is one thing that we are going to have to get used to," McCormack said.

"We definitely defeated them more convincingly in Canberra earlier in the year, so they have improved, but looking forward to the Olympics all of the teams are going to improve, so we have to as well.

"For me this test event is all about getting used to the surroundings and seeing what the pool is like. Today I thought the pool was great, the atmosphere was amazing and all in all I think that it is going to suit us very well during the Olympics."

The Stingers next game is against old rivals the USA at 3.30am AEST tomorrow morning. The winner of that is all but assured a place in the gold medal final.

For the full result and score sheet

For the full London Test Event schedule

Aussie Stingers

Result: Australia 10 bt Great Britain 4

Qtrs: 2-1, 2-1, 2-1, 4-1

X man for: 3 from 5

X man against: GBR scored 1 from 5; 1 from 1 penalties

AUS Scorers: Rowie Webster 4, Kate Gynther 3, Nicola Zagame 2, Sophie Smith

AUS Saves: Alicia McCormack 13 from 17

AUS Best: Alicia McCormack, Rowie Webster, Gemma Beadsworth

Australian Water Polo