AUSTRALIAN WATERPOLO LEAGUE FINALS SERIES - DAY 1

Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre hosted the opening day of the 2024 Australian Waterpolo League Finals Series, with teams putting it all on the line to keep their finals hopes alive.

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WOMEN

FREMANTLE MARLINS v DRUMMOYNE DEVILS

In the first game of the day, west coast’s Fremantle Marlins matched up against Sydney locals Drummoyne Devils.

Fremantle Marlins started the game strong, out scoring their opponents 4-0 in the first quarter. Despite scoring three goals in the second quarter, Drummoyne Devils trailed 8-3 at half time.

In the third quarter, the Drummoyne Devils mounted their comeback, scoring four goals to Fremantle’s one, and closing the gap back to 9-7 at three quarter time.

It was an evenly matched fourth quarter, both teams scoring three goals and Fremantle Marlins claiming the win.
 

SYDNEY UNI LIONS v UWA TORPEDOES

Tokyo Olympian Tilly Kearns opened the scoring for the Sydney Uni Lions in the second game of the day. A second girl from two-time Olympian Keesja Gofers pushed the Sydney Uni Lions out to a 2-0 at the end of the first quarter.

UWA Torpedoes edged back in the second quarter, with goals from Bronwen Knox and Brgdet Canley, the scores standing at 4-2 in Sydney Uni’s favour at half time.

A high scoring third quarter saw both teams’ score another five goals each, before the Sydney Uni Lions continued their dominance in the fourth quarter to win 11-8.
 

MEN

SYDNEY UNI LIONS v UWA TORPEDOES

Similar to their female counterparts, Sydney Uni Lions and UWA Torpedoes men went head-to-head in the third game of the day.

In the first quarter, Sydney Uni Lions slotted five goals into the back of the net to claim an early lead, with UWA Torpedoes scoring one goal Alexsa Gardijan.

Sydney Uni Lions banked another three goals in the second quarter to claim a 8-3 lead heading into half time.

Momentum swung in UWA Torpedoes favour in the third quarter, scoring three goals to Sydney Uni’s two.

But it was too little, too late, Sydney Uni adding another three goals to their tally in the fourth quarter to wrap up the game 13-8.

ACU CRONULLA SHARKS v UNSW WESTS MAGPIES

The ACU Cronulla Sharks went toe-to-toe with defending champions UNSW Wests Magpies in the last elimination final of the day.

Eager to get one up on their rivals, the ACU Cronulla Sharks started strong, scoring four goals in the first quarter, while UNSW scored three.

The sides were inseparable in the second quarter, each scoring two goals and the scores standing at 6-5 in Cronulla’s favour at half time.

The momentum continued to fall the way of the Sharks in the third quarter, who added another four goals to their haul.

A last minute comeback from UNSW saw them score two goals in the last quarter courtesy of Olympians Nathan Power and Jarrod Gilchrist. But it wasn’t enough to hold off Cronulla who claimed a one goal win, 10-9.