Extended semifinal series yield grand finalists

Sydney (May 24).— Regular-time victories are hard to come by at the National Water Polo League finals series, especially when grand-final berths are at stake. Three matches went to extra time with one needing sudden death as three of the four semifinal series, requiring a best-of-three result, went to the third match. Sydney University Lions and KFC Queensland Breakers made it through to the men’s grand final while Brisbane Barracudas and Fremantle Marlins will contest the gold-medal series, which starts tomorrow night at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. The Lions beat minor premiers Wests waterpolo Magpies two straight but won today’s second match 10-9 in sudden death. The game was locked at 9-all by full time and there were no goals in extra time. Nearly two minutes into golden goal, Grant Richardson claimed the winner. Fremantle Mariners’ 10-year unbroken run in grand finals has come to an end as they lost their third match 9-7 to KFC Queensland Breakers who have qualified for their first. Fremantle lost discipline and saw their top three field players ejected with Mitchal Ainsworth on misconduct and captain Peter Tresise and Tim Neesham on three major fouls. In the afternoon Fremantle claimed the second game with a 14-4 margin when they played controlled water polo and KFC was looking for a third match. In women’s action, Brisbane Barracudas used the third match to beat Sydney University Lions 12-11 in extra time. The Barracudas gained the equalising goal via Emma Keogh inside the last minute to force extra time and went ahead through Claire Miller in the first period of extra. Nikita Cuffe equalised late in the period but it was Kate Gynther, voted one of the world’s best seven players at the recent FINA World Championships, who sent in the winner in the second period. Earlier in the afternoon, Barracudas defeated the Lions 10-9. Minor premiers Fremantle Marlins started confidently and finished nervously in their 9-7 victory over KFC Queensland Breakers tonight. The Marlins, winners of the first two women’s leagues and bronze medallists last year, led 7-1 in the third period before allowing the Breakers back into the game. In the afternoon, the Breakers forced extra time and won 13-12 to go to the third match. The first women’s gold-medal match will be played at SOPAC at 6pm and the men’s match at 7:45pm tomorrow with the second and possibly third games on Saturday. The bronze-medal games will be played on Saturday morning. Results: Men: Semifinal A2: Fremantle Mariners 14 (J Swift 3, N O'Halloran, T Seress, M Ainsworth 2, T Cleland, P Tresise, D Lawrence, J Dodd, A Richardson) KFC Queensland Breakers 4 (D Marsden 2, J Votan, S Dornin). Semifinal B2: Sydney University Lions 10 (R Maitland, G Richardson, A Visch 2, T Franklin, L Hollis, T Woudwyk, K Mitchell) Wests waterpolo Magpies 9 (J Cotterill, S Cody, M Turnbull 2, R Campbell, D Stein, D Streets) 1:49 into sudden death (FT: 9-9. ET: 9-9). Sydney University wins series 2-0. Semifinal A3: KFC Queensland Breakers 9 (S Dornin 3, A Martin 2, D Marsden, B Miller, C Corbin, S Robertson) Fremantle Mariners 7 (T Cleland 2, N O'Halloran, T Seress, T Neesham, M Ainsworth, D Lawrence). KFC wins series 2-1. Women: Semifinal A2: Sydney University Lions 10 (M Hammond 3, N Cuffe, K Gofers 2, A Russell, L Robertson, J Whitehorn) Brisbane Barracudas 9 (K Gynther 4, S Smith, C Grayson 2, K Bryce). Semifinal B2: KFC Queensland Breakers 13 (A Hetzel 5, S Fraser 3, S Mills 2, N McCarthy, B Knox, K Miller) Fremantle Marlins 12 (K Finucane 3, G Beadsworth, S Wheelock, G Ralph 2, L Chaves, B Brooks, Z Arancini). Semifinal A3: Brisbane Barracudas 12 (J Moran 4, K Gynther 3, M Rippon 2, A Miller, E Keogh, C Miller) Sydney University Lions 11 (J Whitehorn, M Hammond 3, K Gofers 2, L Robertson, N Cuffe, S Cuffe) in extra time (FT: 10-10). Brisbane wins series 2-1. Semifinal B3: Fremantle Marlins 9 (K Finucane 4, G Beadsworth, S Wheelock, B Brooks, G Ralph, Z Arancini) KFC Queensland Breakers 7 (S Fraser, A Miller, A Hetzel 2, B Knox). Fremantle wins series 2-1.

 

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