In the third meeting between the two teams in a week, the result was 10-8 but while Australia won the opening encounter the USA won the next two, including the gold-medal final.

The result emulated the country’s senior teams in California, where world champion USA beat world No 2 Australia 13-12.

The difference came in the second quarter when the North Americans went from 2-all at the quarter to 5-2 by halftime.

Australia came back to within one when Alicia Brightwell scored twice late in the third period but the USA surged out to 10-7 inside the last three minutes of the game to put the result beyond doubt.

Dominique Sardo and Margaret Steffens scored half of the USA’s total, dominating as they have all week.

Cronulla’s Nicola Zagame fired in two goals for a total of 27 in taking out the highest-goal-scorer award as  well as most valuable player.

In the bronze-medal play-off, the younger Australia team, Born 1991, beat New Zealand 9-6 after being just 7-6 ahead at the final break.

Results:
Global Challenge, youth girls, Brisbane:
Semifinals: Australian Born 1990 11 (A Brightwell 5, N Zagame 2, E Bowden, K Gofers, K Armstrong, G Wikman) New Zealand 5 (A Boyd 3, E Stoneman, C Bowry), USA 10 (M Steffens 3, D Sardo 2, B Martin, A Dries, C Eggert, K Mendoza, K Neushul) Australia Born 1991 5 (E Armit, B Appel, A Southern, EJ Grahame, C Pearce).
Play-offs: For 3rd & 4th, Australia Born 1991 9 (S Grunberger 3, S Jones, S Thomas, H Buckling, R Flint, K Leatham, A Southern) New Zealand 6 (C Bowry 3, C Duffy, J Burns, E Stoneman); for 1st & 2nd, USA 10 (D Sardo 3, M Steffens 2, E Greenwood, S Haas, A Dries. K Neushul, G Naranjo) Australia Born 1990 8 (A Brightwell 3, K Miller, N Zagame 2, K Gofers).
Final placings: USA, Australia Born 1990, Australia Born 1991, New Zealand.
Awards: Highest goal-scorer: Nicola Zagame (AUS Born 1990) 27. Player of the Series: Nicola Zagame (AUS Born 1990). Goalkeeper of the series: Kate Baldoni (USA).


Wikman scores a blinder in Global Challenge
Brisbane (July 5).—
Queenslander Gabby Wikman proved she’s the master of the long shot during day-four action in the Global Challenge youth girls’ water polo tournament at  Brisbane’s Valley Pool. Wikman, playing for the Australia Born 1990 outfit in the four-team tournament, sent the ball into goal from her own goal-line in the last second of the third period against New Zealand.

It was a match where the Aussies needed a big score against the Kiwis to secure top position on the ladder, pipping the United States of America with the 25-5 victory.

The Born 1990s and USA split their two matches during the rounds.

The victory earns a rematch against New Zealand in the semifinals as the winner and the fourth-placed team respectively.

The USA, pressed to a 9-7 defeat of Australia Born 1991, finished equal on points with the Born 1990s but could not shake off the younger Aussies who slammed in the last three goals for a flattering score.

The finals are being staged tomorrow.

Results:
Global Challenge, youth girls, Brisbane:
Round 6: USA 9 (B Martin, E Greenwood, M Steffens 2, S Haas, A Dries, D Sardo) Australia Born 1991 7 (B Appel, A Southern 2, S Jones, K Leathem, H Buckling), Australia Born 1990 25 (N Zagame 8, A Brightwell 6, K Gofers 3, G Wikman 2, E Bowden, K Miller, A Carter, K Mirabito, N McJannet, K Armstrong) New Zealand 5 (E Kyrke-Smith, M Smiley, J Pheelan, S Josling, S Howard).
Final points: Australia ‘90 10, USA 10, Australia ‘91 4, NZ 0.

USA exacts revenge on Australia in Global Challenge
Brisbane (July 4).—
The United States of America gained revenge on Australia at the Global Challenge youth girls’ water polo competition being staged at the Valley Pool in Brisbane. 

Playing the fourth round, the USA shrugged off a dogged Australia Born 1990, winning 10-8 after the game was locked at 6-6 late in the third period.
The USA’s Dominique Sardo scored the go-ahead goal with 11 second left and Australia never

recovered, trailing 10-7 late in the game before Alicia Brightwell narrowed it to two goals with more than two minutes remaining.

Despite three tactical timeouts, no score came and the USA had redressed the imbalance after losing to the Aussies in the opening game of the six-day tournament.

Both teams are locked on eight points and look set to play the final.

Australia Born 1991 beat a determined New Zealand 14-12 last night and bowed to their older counterparts 16-8 this morning.

The North Americans ran through New Zealand 14-1.

Results:
Global Challenge, youth girls, Brisbane:
Round 4: USA 10 (B Martin, A Dries, K Mendoza, D Sardo 2, M Steffens, G Naranjo) Australia born 1990 8 (N Zagame 4, A Brightwell, E Bowden, K Miller, K Armstrong), Australia Born 1991 14 (S Jones 4, S Thomas, K Leathem, EJ Grahame, C Pierce 2, J Venosta, B Appel) New Zealand 12 (C Duffy 8, C Bowry 3, A Boyd).
Round 5: Australia Born 1990 16 (K Miller 5, A Carter, N Zagame 3, A Brightwell 2, K Gofers, N McJannet, G Wikman) Australia Born 1991 8 (H Buckling, EJ Grahame 2, E Armit, G Venosta, S Grunberger, E Pittorino), USA 14 (S Haas, M Steffens 3, B Martin, K Mendoza 2, A Dries, B Moody, D Sardo, G Naranjo) New Zealand 1 (E Kyrke-Smith).
Progress points: Australia ‘90 8, USA 8, Australia ‘91 4, NZ 0.

Global Challenge wins to Australia and USA
Brisbane (July 3).—
Australia and the United States of America continued to set the pace in with round-three victories in the six-day Global Challenge youth girls’ water polo competition being staged at the Valley Pool in Brisbane.

Australia Born 1990 defeated New Zealand 15-7, thanks to a six-goal haul to Alicia Brightwell and five to Nicola Zagame.

Then the USA sent the Australian Born 1991 team packing with a 13-5 result, Dominique Sardo netting four to give her 10 for the series.

New Zealand kept the game level in the first quarter but was five in arrears at halftime. The third period was 2-2 but the Aussies swam away in the final period with Brightwell gaining a hat-trick.

The USA started slowly against the younger Australians and only led 4-2 at halftime before pulling away in the third.

The finals are on Sunday.

Results:
Global Challenge, girls, Brisbane:
Round 3: Australia born 1990 15 (A Brightwell 6, N Zagame 5, N McJannet 2, A Carter, K Gofers) New Zealand 7 (K Madill, A Boyd, E Stoneman, J Theeton, C Bowry, M Smiley, S Howard), USA 13 (D Sardo 4, B Martin, M Steffens, E Greenwood 2, C Eggert, S Haas, K Mendoza), Australia born 1991 5 (A Southern 4, EJ Grahame).
Progress points: Australia ‘90 6, USA 4, Australia ‘91 2, NZ 0.

Aussies start Global Challenge on winning note
Brisbane (July 2).—
Australia leads the way in the six-day Global Challenge youth girls’ water polo competition being staged at the Valley Pool in Brisbane.

The Born 1990 age team beat the United States of America 10-8 in the opening game last night while the Born 1991 team edged out New Zealand 13-11.

In this morning’s games, the older Australian team beat the youngsters 11-5 while the USA gained a 13-3 victory over New Zealand.

Australia ‘90s put up an impressive show against USA in the first game, breaking a 6-6 halftime deadlock with a 2-0 third quarter, which proved the difference by full time.

The USA came within one goal inside the last two minutes but Kate Miller nailed an action goal 16 seconds later to seal the game for the home team.

The younger Aussie team also needed a strong third period, turning 7-7 at halftime to 11-8 by the final break before stretching the margin to 13-10 in the last.

New Zealand’s Ellen Kyra-Smith pulled one goal back just four seconds from time.

The older Australian team proved too strong in this morning’s encounter but only led 4-2 at halftime. This became 8-2 by the final break while the last quarter was squared.

The USA, with Dominique Sardo scoring her second hat-trick of the tournament, was well in control over the Kiwis, moving from 5-2 at the quarter to 8-3 at halftime and 10-3 heading into the last.

Results:
Global Challenge, girls, Brisbane:
Round 1: Australia born 1990 10 (N Zagame 4, K Gofers 2, A Brightwell, K Miller, JL Lewis, G Wikman) USA 8 (D Sardo 3, A Dries, K Mendoza 2, E Greenwood), Australia born 1991 13 (E Armit, B Appel, A Southern 3, EJ Grahame 2, I Bishop, R Flint) New Zealand 11 (C Bowry 3, J Burns, J Theeton 2, A Boyd, E Kyra-Smith, E Stoneman, J Chase).
Round 2: Australia born 1990 11 (K Miller, N Zagame 3, JL Lewis 2, A Brightwell, K Armstrong, G Wikman) Australia Born 1991 5 (H Buckling 2, B Appel, K Leatham, A Southern), USA 13 (D Sardo 3, E Greenwood, M Steffens, K Neushul 2, B Martin, S Haas, B Moody, M Rosenthal) New Zealand 3 (S Howard 2, J Theeton).
Progress points: Australia ‘90 4, USA 2, Australia ‘91 2, NZ 0.

Global Challenge starts in Brisbane today
Brisbane (July 1).—
Australia’s best female water polo youngsters will compete in the tri-nation Global Challenge at the Valley Pool from tomorrow.

The Australian Born 1990 and Born 1991 teams will play against the United States of America and New Zealand with morning and evening matches scheduled until Sunday’s finals

The tournament will see the international debut of Queenslander Jamie-Lee Lewis, who is hearing impaired and the daughter of rugby league legend Wally Lewis.

Teams:
Born 1990: Ellie Bowden, Jamie-Lee Lewis, Kate Miller, Gabi Wikman [QLD]; Kaatya Armstrong, Alicia Brightwell, Annabel Carter, Keesja Gofers, Beth Loder, Natalee McJannet, Kara Mirabito, Nicola Zagame [NSW]; Victoria Risby (SA). Head coach: Greig Richardson
Born 91: Ashleigh Southern, Stephanie Thomas, Kelsey Wakefield (QLD); Bre Appel (Co-Captain), Hannah Buckling, Sarah Grunberger, Shannon Jones, Kayle Leathem, Ellen Pittorino, Serena Reid (NSW); Emma-Jo Grahame, Genevieve Venosta (VIC); Isobel Bishop (SA); Zoe Arancini (Co-Captain), Rachel Flint, Claire Pierce (WA). Reserves: Mia Corbett, Rebecca Lissa (NSW); Elle Armit (QLD). Head coach: Peter Szilagyi.