Teams to battle for championship honours at 2019 OVO Australian Water Polo League.

Published Sat 04 May 2019

It will be an all Sydney final in the men’s gold medal match of the 2019 OVO Australian Waterpolo League, after minor premiers Drummoyne Devils and second ranked UNSW Magpies both won their semi final matches.

The top two teams earned a rest during Friday’s elimination finals and needed the first quarter of today’s games to find their rhythm.

Playing against Sydney University Lions, the Devils trailed 3-4 at the quarter time break, but they accelerated through the next two quarters to establish a 13-7 lead at three quarter time.

The Lions clawed back in the fourth, but the Devils had already done the damage and last year’s champions now face a battle for bronze.

Captain Aidan Roach said the Devils prevailed with a tight game plan.

“We eventually came over the top of them through excellent team work and excellent defence so we’re really happy,” Roach said.

Looking to Sunday’s Grand Final, Roach said the team was focused on their own performance.

“And trying to stick to our game plan which is just keep going, pushing the counters hard all the time and keep playing like a team,” he said.

In the second semi-final, UNSW Wests Magpies and Fremantle Mariners were 3-3 at quarter time and the game remained close until the final buzzer, the Magpies advancing to the gold medal game with an 11-8 victory.

Jarrod Gilchrist scored six of the Magpies 11 goals and said the team was ready for what awaits.

“We’ve been building all season for the final and we’re back in the big show which was always the goal,” Gilchrist said.

The Rio Olympian is a new father and said his build up to finals had been different to other years.

“They joke about dad strength but I think it’s a bit of sleep deprivation,” he said.

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In the first of the women’s semi finals, the Fremantle Marlins upset the minor premiers UTS

Balmain in an epic match that went down to the wire. The Marlins led 8-7 at three quarter time before the Tigers hit the lead for the first time late in the fourth.

The score was tied 11-11 and it was looking like the game would go to a penalty shoot-out before Marlins driver Zoe Arancini converted a penalty goal and put her team in front 12-11.

“There was a bit of pressure, but those are the moments you live for and what you train for,” Arancini said.

“To win against the minor premiers is fantastic.

“The girls collected themselves, the last few minutes (they) put it together… very proud and ecstatic,” she said.

Arancini said the team would benefit from the hard-fought match but there was improvement they could make for the gold medal match.

“It’s great that it was a good, hard game, especially for a semi-final.

“We let ourselves down in the third quarter, (we’ve) really got to try put it together for four quarters and from there we’ll see,” she said.

The Queensland Thunder are also through to the women’s final in what has been their maiden season. (The two previous Queensland teams joined forces to create the Thunder).

The young team impressed during their semi final against UNSW West Killer Whales with Bron Knox leading the way with five goals.

“Everyone’s doing their job and I just happen to be the lucky one to put the ball in the back of the net,” Knox said.

The win was a reward for a hard fought season and Knox said the young team had stepped up to the challenge.

“Great to be in the finals, we’ve pushed the whole season, we’ve taken the games to the end,” Knox said.

“You see the development over the season, giving away a lot of penalties throughout the season, we’ve worked on body position and how to move in the water and you see the young girls really developing throughout,” she said.

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Earlier, men’s and women’s teams went head to head in the five versus six playoffs.

In the women’s match, the Lions held off a determined ACU Cronulla Sharks outfit who pushed the game to a penalty shoot-out. The Lions raced to a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, but the Sharks fought back to level the score 11-11 at full time. The Lions were flawless in the shoot-out winning 15-14 for fifth overall.

In the men’s match Despite a close start the Hunter Hurricanes prevailed against Queensland Thunder with a 12-7 victory. The Hurricanes led 4-3 at the first quarter but extended their lead 9-6 at half-time, the team playing strong defence in the second half to limit the Thunder to one goal.