Los Angeles, USA (December 6).—

World Cup champion Australia beat Olympic champion Italy12-9 in the six-nation Holiday Cup women’s water polo tournament at Los Alamitos today.
It was the first meeting of the two since Australia beat Italy 10-7 for the World Cup in China last August.
While Italy opened the scoring, Australia went 4-1 up at the quarter and extended the lead to 9-3 by halftime. Head coach Greg McFadden said concentration lapses proved costly in the second half.
“We then scored the next two goals to go up 11-3 before some concentration lapses allowed Italy two late goals.
“In the fourth period more lack of discipline allowed the Italians to get back to 12-9 but the game was never in doubt as all players gained good water time.
“The first half and start of the third quarter were excellent with everyone contributing, but lack of concentration after this was disappointing as we did not bury them like we should have,” McFadden said.
Australia was best served by goalkeeper Emma Knox, Gemma Beadsworth, Jenna Santoromito, Amy Hetzel, Suzie Fraser and Katie Finucane.
Australia scored four from eight on extra plus a penalty goal while Italy struggled with five from 15 and a penalty goal. Knox made 10 saves in the cage.
In other games, European champion Russia drew with the Netherlands 13-all and World League champion USA defeated Canada 5-4.

Results: Holiday Cup women’s tournament, Los Alamitos, USA:
Day 1:
Australia 12 (G Beadsworth 3, G Hadley, S Fraser 2, B Knox, K Gynther, J Santoromito, A Hetzel, K Finucane) Italy 9,
USA 5 Canada 4,
Russia 13 Netherlands 13.

Greg McFadden writes

1st game v Italy Holiday Cup

Well our 1st game was against our old foes Italy and we wanted to maintain our dominance over the last few years we have started to form.

The Italians scored the 1st goal of the game through an extra man before we went on a 4 goal spree through goals from Beadsworth penalty, J Santoromito counter, Finucane extra and Hadley last second lob.

The 2nd quarter we completely dominated them with a 5-2 quarter to take the score to 9-3 at half time.

We then scored the next 2 goals to go up 11-3 before some concentration lapses allowed them 2 late goals.

In the 4th more lack of discipline allowed the Italians to get back to 12-9 but the game was never in doubt as all players got good water time.

Australia was best served by Emma Knox, Beadsworth, J Santoromito, Hetzel, Fraser & Finucane.

Greg McFadden said “The 1st half and start of the 3rd quarter was excellent with everyone contributing, but lack of concentration after this was disappointing as we did not bury them like we should have”.

Aust 12 – Beadsworth 3, Hadley 2, Fraser 2, B Knox, Gynther, J Santoromito, Hetzel, Finucane
Italy 9 – Biancardi 3, Miceli 2, Emmolo 2, Rocco, Musumeci

X-man
Aust 4 from 8 & 1 penalty
Italy 5 from 15 & 1 penalty

Knox 10 saves