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FINA WC Day 9 - Women's Water Polo Match 37 & 38

Jul 21, 2003

Match 37, Women 20:30, 21.07.03
CANADA 9 SPAIN 8
Quarter-final
Quarters: 3-3, 1-0, 2-2, 3-3

Referees: Aaron Chaney (USA), Vladimir Prikhodko (KAZ)

CANADA: Whynter Lamarre, Rachel Kiddell, Marianne Illing, Susan Gardiner (1), Andrea Dewar, Marie-Luc Arpin (1), Cora Lee Campbell (3), Melissa Collins, Ann Dow (2), Jana Salat, Valerie Dionne, Christienne Bardecki, Johanne Begin (2)
Coach: Pat Oaten

SPAIN: Cristina Ungo de Velasco, Mireia Ventura, Sara Dominguez, Mariona Ribera (2), Merce Valles (2), Belen Sanchez (1), Cristina Lopez (1), Anna Pardo (1), Anna Ramirez (1), Elisabeth Fuentes, Blanca Gil, Jennifer Pareja, Patricia Del Soto
Coach: Gaspar Ventura

Canada withstood the Spanish invasion and the hordes of fans bashing at the door to beat the host nation 9-8. Canada opened the scoring and Spain replied three times for 3-all at the quarter. Several extra chances could have had Spain ahead had it not hit the wood. Six different players made the sheet. The only goal of the second was Ann Dow's lob on extra at 1:23. Johanne Begin took that to 5-3 on extra early in the third before Mariona Ribera on extra and Cristina Lopez from the penalty line levelled the game at 1:03. The big Spanish crowd was deflated when Canadian captain Cora Campbell lobbed with 34 seconds left and a 6-5 lead. Campbell repeated the dose at the start of the fourth but Merce Valles converted a penalty at 5:55 for 7-6 down. Ribera threw a 12m shot at the end of possession and it went in! Marie-Luc Arpin scored on extra for Canada to regain the lead. Then Merce Valles threw from 10 at the end of possession and it went it! Remarkable! A tied game at 1:51. But on the next attack Dow was left free at the top and she shot for what was the winning score and 9-8. Spain took a timeout but couldn't gain the extra and tossed the ball to the opposition. Even Monty Python's Always Look on the Bright Side of Life booming out through the speakers seemed more than appropriate for Spain's valiant effort.


Match 38, Women 21:45, 21.07.03
HUNGARY 6 RUSSIA 8
Quarter-final
Quarters: 1-3, 1-3, 1-1, 3-1

Referees: Erhan Tulga (TUR), Joaquin Fernandez Escola (ESP)

HUNGARY: Ildiko Zirighne Sos, Zsuzsanna Tiba, Anett Gyore, Dora Kisteleki, Mercedes Stieber (2), Kata Redei (1), Rita Dravucz (2), Erzebet Valkay (!), Krisztina Szremko, Aniko Pelle, Agnes Valkay, Agnes Primasz, Patricia Horvath
Coach: Tamas Farago

RUSSIA: Valentina Voronisova, Natalia Shepelina (1), Ekaterina Salimova (1), Sofia Konoukh, Elena Smurova (4), Galina Zlotnikova, Anastassia Zoubkova, Veronika Linkova, Tatiana Petrova, Olga Turova (2), Ekaterina Shishova, Svetlana Bogdanova, Maria Iaina
Coach: Yury Mitianin

Russia completed the list of upsets in this championship, eclipsing world No 1 Hungary with some accurate shooting and excellent defence. A last-quarter assault by Hungary was too late. Russia shot to a 2-0 lead through Natalia Shepelina and Ekaterina Salimova before Mercedes Stieber responded. Then the Elena Smurova factor kicked in. She had six goals going into the match and seemingly decided to better that total in the one match! She took Russia to 3-1 at the break from two metres. Erzebet Valkay reduced the deficit to 3-2 with a drive but Smurova then shot and scored from centre forward, on extra and from out the side late in possession for 6-2 at halftime. It was a goal apiece in the third with Olga Turova scoring her 14th of the tournament on a counter-attack cross pass. Kata Redei sent in a rocket shot from the top at 1:25 for 7-3. Rita Dravucz twice, and Stieber scored for Hungary in the fourth but Turova snared a second and Russia had the match sewn up.