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FINA WC Day 9 - Women's Water Polo Match 35 & 36

Jul 21, 2003

Match 35, Women 15:30, 21.07.03
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 8 AUSTRALIA 4
Quarter-final
Quarters: 1-2, 2-1, 3-0, 2-1

Referees: Peter Bookelman (NED), Massimiliano Caputi (ITA)

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Nicolle Payne, Heather Petri, Ericka Lorenz (2), Brenda Villa (1), Ellen Estes (2), Natalie Golda, Margaret Dingeldein, Jacqueline Frank, Heather Moody (1), Robin Beauregard (1), Amber Stachowski (1), Gabrielle Domanic, Thalia Munro
Coach: Guy Baker

AUSTRALIA: Jemma Brownlow, Rebecca Rippon, Nikita Cuffe, Naomi Castle, Bronwyn Smith (1), Emma Knox, Jodie Stuhmcke (1), Kate Gynther (1), Elise Norwood, Taryn Woods, Melissa Rippon, Joanne Fox, Melissa Byram (1)
Coach: Istvan Gorgenyi

United States of America breezed through to the semifinals with this handsome victory. Australia shot away to a 3-1 lead but the overall strength of the North Americans and the forced errors of the Olympic champion Australians led to the victory. Ericka Lorenz opened but Jodie Stuhmcke from centre forward and Bronwyn Smith on counter gave Australia a 2-1, quarter-time lead. Kate Gynther took it to 3-1. Then the USA onslaught began with Ellen Estes and Amber Stachowski on extra levelling the game by halftime. Robin Beauregard from the top, Heather Moody on extra and then Estes with a flip of the ball over the Australian goalkeeper's head while heavily defended, took the game to 6-3. Australian couldn't score after a timeout and the USA made use of two extra chances, through Brenda Villa and Lorenz. Australia's last throw of the dice succeeded when Melissa Byram scored on extra at 0:09 after a timeout. Australia now goes to the 5th-8th play-offs.


Match 36, Women 16:45, 21.07.03
NETHERLANDS 11 ITALY 13
Quarter-final
Quarters: 1-0, 2-4, 3-2, 1-1, 1-1, 0-0, (3-5 on penalty shootout)

Referees: Boris Margeta (SLO), Zoran Tomic (CRO)

NETHERLANDS: Meike De Nooy, Marleen Ars, Tjarda Rodenhuis, Carla Quint (1), Simone Koot, Rianne Guichelaar (3), Karin Kuipers (1), Hanneke Kappen (1), Gillian van den Berg, Jorieke Oostendorp (3), Mieke van der Sloot, Heleen Peerenboom (1), Danielle de Bruin (1)
Coach: Peter Paul Metz

ITALY: Francesca Conti, Martina Miceli, Carmela Allucci, Silvia Bosurgi (2), Erika Lava, Manuela Zanchi, Tania Di Mario (3), Cinzia Ragusa, Giusy Malato (3), Alexandra Araujo (1), Maddalena Musumeci, Melania Greco (2), Noemi Toth (2)
Coach: Pierluigi Formiconi

Reigning champion Italy won the second quarter-final on penalty shootout after the game was 7-7 at full time and 8-8 after extra time. Italy scored all five with the Dutch missing the first and being on the back foot. The Dutch went 1-0 on extra in the first minute but as the teams started to grab and play smothering defence, no further goal came. One player, Jorieke Oostendorp had the top half of her costume stripped from her body and she had to play several minutes topless. Italy went 2-1 ahead but Rianne Guichelaar scored the first of three goals from the outside left-hand catch position. Italy led 4-3 at halftime. Melania Greco took it to 5-3 with a long shot. Guichelaar narrowed to 5-4. Then Danielle de Bruin had her penalty shot stopped by Italy's Francesco Conti with the result that Tania Di Mario scored at the other end 20 seconds later. Oostendorp, keeping her second costume in one piece, scored on extra at 3:18 of the third. Noemi Toth, who scored twice early in the game, was excluded for the match after an illegal entry and a penalty awarded, which Karin Kuipers converted for 6-6 at three-quarter time. Both sides were grabbing and tearing costumes as the minutes ticked by, until, with just 28 seconds on the clock, Malato took an air ball, turned and scored from centre forward. But the Italian celebrations were short-lived as de Bruin made up for her missed penalty by driving down the right and shooting and scoring from five metres out with 17 seconds left. Cinzia Ragusa hit the upright with the last shot and the game went to extra time. Italian coach Pierluigi Formiconi, so exuberant poolside, gained a yellow card in the closing minutes. Di Mario scored a penalty for Italy and Carla Quint replied from centre forward a minute later of the first period of extra time. Both teams had a timeout in the second period but few shots made their mark. Penalty shots were to decide the game. Italy scored all five but de Bruin, fresh from missing earlier in the game, fluffed the first shot, meaning the Dutch needn't use their fifth shooter. Francesca Conti's two penalty stops earned a deserved victory.