UW-La Crosse Wins Al Carius Program of the Year Award; UW-Eau Claire and UW-Whitewater Recognized
Men’s Cross Country
6/20/2025 1:29:45 PM
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Official USTFCCCA Release NEW ORLEANS –University of Wisconsin-La Crosse won the Al Carius NCAA Division III Program of the Year award from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association […]
–University of Wisconsin-La Crosse won the Al Carius NCAA Division III Program of the Year award from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for the 2024-25 season. In addition, UW-Eau Claire finished third and UW-Whitewater was 11th.
UW-La Crosse secured the award for the sixth time in program history (2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2023-24) after winning national titles in cross country, men’s indoor track & field and men’s outdoor track & field. The Eagles totaled three points in the standings.
UW-Eau Claire placed third with 36 points after finishing second in outdoor track & field, 15th in indoor track & field and 19th in cross country.
UW-Whitewater placed 11th with 71 points after taking fourth in cross country, 13th in indoor track & field and 50th in outdoor track & field.
In order to be eligible for the award, teams must qualify for each of the NCAA Championships. Scoring is based on the team’s finish at each NCAA Championship in cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field (i.e., 1st = 1 point, 2nd = 2 points … 31st = 31 points) with the lowest total score for all three championships combined determining the award winner. Ties among schools split points for positions taken.
The award is named after USTFCCCA Hall of Famer and long-time North Central College (Ill.) head coach Al Carius.
Digital Consultancy Ferry Embarks From Scotland – Global Briefs
Digital Consultancy Ferry Embarks From Scotland Night Train Digital boss Caitlin Meek O’Connor and social content expert Mark MacDonald are relocating to Scotland to launch Ferry, a YouTube-focused consultancy. The married couple will work with companies to put in place strategies, staffing and structure for their YouTube and social media operations. Meek O’Connor has been […]
Night Train Digital boss Caitlin Meek O’Connor and social content expert Mark MacDonald are relocating to Scotland to launch Ferry, a YouTube-focused consultancy. The married couple will work with companies to put in place strategies, staffing and structure for their YouTube and social media operations. Meek O’Connor has been Head of Night Train Digital, which is part of the London-based Night Train Media, for the past two years. Previously, she had worked at All3Media-owned Little Dot Studios for six years as Programmes and Acquisitions chief, and has held senior roles at Beyond Rights, DRG, Mercury Media and the BBC. MacDonald had also worked at Little Dot in several senior roles, and was most recently Global Head of Social Media at Banijay Entertainment. He has been consulting since March, when he exited the France-based giant. “After two fantastic years at Night Train Digital, I’m excited to start a new chapter with the launch of Ferry, the consultancy Mark and I have founded to help companies unlock the full potential of their YouTube strategies and to work closely with Scottish businesses to elevate their digital output and reach new audiences,” Meek O’Connor told Deadline. “It’s an exciting time to be helping content travel further.” Night Train Digital has not yet replaced her directly, with Lara Sword, Head of Factual Network, leading the unit as of now.
Ormax To Track Indian Sports Viewing
Ormax Media, the Indian insights consultancy, is launching Ormax Sports Track. The syndicated audience research tool is an attempt to track the engagement and marketing impact of sports on streaming services in the country. Given the huge numbers following cricket on digital services in the country – and widening interest in soccer, tennis, kabbadi and wrestling – platforms, sports leagues and advertisers will have been searching for such a tool. Ormax will will evaluate tournaments on four parameters – buzz, reach, appeal and potency. “With Ormax Sports Track, OTT platforms now have a powerful, subscription-based tool to benchmark the impact of their sports campaigns against industry-wide trends,” said Keerat Grewal, Head of Business Development (Streaming, Television & Brands). “This tool integrates rigorous audience tracking with strategic insights, helping clients drive subscriptions, optimise marketing spend, and stand out in a crowded sports landscape.”
Adelaide Film Festival Selects ‘Jimpa’ For Opening Night
The Adelaide Film Festival (AFF) has selected Sophie Hyde’s Jimpa as its opening night film. The feature is a multi-generational story in which filmmaker Hannah (Olivia Colman) takes her trans non-binary teenager Frances (Aud Mason-Hyde) to Amsterdam to meet their gay grandfather, Jimpa (John Lithgow). It’s inspired by the death of Sophie Hyde’s own father, and the queer family she was raised in. Jimpa premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year and is now getting its debut in Australia, where it will be released by Kismet. Other features selected for AFF are Journey Home, David Gulpilil, by directors Maggie Miles and Trisha Morton-Thomas; The Colleano Heart from Pauline Clague; Lynette Wallworth’s Edge of Life; South Australian horror thriller Penny Lane is Dead from writer/director Mia’Kate Russell; Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winner It Was Just An Accident by from Iranian director Jafar Panahi; and Fwends, from first-time director Sophie Somerville. Jimpa, My Colleano Heart, Edge of Life and Penny Lane is Dead were supported into production by the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund. A full AFF program will be announced on September 9.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Alena Gonzalez, North Idaho Water Polo
Alena Gonzalez North Idaho Water Polo Gonzalez, a 2025 graduate of Coeur d’Alene High, helped lead the North Idaho Water Polo to the Session III Junior Olympic championship in Dallas in August, earning tournament MVP. “She can play any position on the team, including set, set defense, driver and outside of it,” North Idaho Water […]
Gonzalez, a 2025 graduate of Coeur d’Alene High, helped lead the North Idaho Water Polo to the Session III Junior Olympic championship in Dallas in August, earning tournament MVP. “She can play any position on the team, including set, set defense, driver and outside of it,” North Idaho Water Polo coach Mark Collingham said. “She is the best driver on the team and is also an excellent defender. Alena is a leader and a role model for the rest of the club.”
Here's how Learfield plans to help athletes make NIL content that actually works
Good morning, and thanks for spending part of your day with Extra Points. I’ve written about this phenomenon a few times already, and I expect to do it several more times this year … but everybody in college sports is looking to drive more revenue. Sure, that’s always been the case, but it is especially […]
Good morning, and thanks for spending part of your day with Extra Points.
I’ve written about this phenomenon a few times already, and I expect to do it several more times this year … but everybody in college sports is looking to drive more revenue.
Sure, that’s always been the case, but it is especially true now, as programs face the new expenses of athlete revenue-sharing and expanded scholarship spending, while also navigating institutional financial challenges like the undergraduate enrollment cliff and vanishing federal research money.
Since media rights revenue is typically already accounted for in long-term contracts, and schools can usually only sell so many more tickets, many athletic departments are looking square at their multimedia rights (MMR) partnerships to drive more revenue. If you can’t sell more tickets or get more money from ESPN, perhaps you can sell more sponsorships.
This is also true at the athlete compensation level. If a school already has a corporate sponsorship agreement in place, the university and MMR partner can’t simply redirect funds from the athletic department to individual athletes without that money counting against the House settlement cap.
But if athletes sign new brand sponsorships, even if those sponsorships include university assets, those contracts won’t count against the cap, so long as the contracts pass inspection from the College Sports Commission.
So tl;dr, that means there will be a lot of interest in MMR companies helping to find, or create, legitimate marketing opportunities for college athletes. Every dollar an athlete makes from Nationwide Insurance is a dollar that doesn’t have to come from an athletic department.
The most common ways for athletes to secure brand deals is via social media influencer campaigns. But the dirty little secret is that being good at sports does not automatically mean you’re good at social media influencing. Many brands decided not to renew campaigns with athletes from 2022 to 2024 simply because they weren’t seeing the value of the campaigns. You can’t just give an athlete a smartphone, have them shoot some vapid behind-the-scenes content, and expect people or brands to pay for it.
So if you want to drive new marketing deals via influencer marketing, you have to figure out a way to make athlete-driven content actually work. And at scale, that has so far been difficult to pull off.
But Learfield thinks it has a strategy that actually works … one that won’t just provide financial opportunities for athletes, but educational and professional ones as well.
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Queen Creek-area water polo club looks for more members | News
A Mesa-based water polo team is looking for members as it works to expand a Valley-wide league, including a Queen Creek team that’s now being formed. The Topaz Water Polo Club was formed in 2020 for a couple of reasons, according to Mariah Hagemann, who has club program manager oversees tournament planning, travel coordination, and the overall […]
A Mesa-based water polo team is looking for members as it works to expand a Valley-wide league, including aQueen Creek team that’s now being formed.
The Topaz Water Polo Club was formed in 2020 for a couple of reasons, according to Mariah Hagemann, who has club program manager oversees tournament planning, travel coordination, and the overall development of the athletes and teams.
“While most local youth sports focus on land-based activities, we saw a need for greater access to aquatic sports – especially water polo, said Hagemann. “So we set out to create something different: local, affordable, high-quality programs that give families access to the sport without the high cost or travel burden.”
The club practices at Kino Aquatic Center in Mesa and Chandler Aquatics Center, led by collegiate and national-level coaches, including John Cogliandro, head coach at Ottawa University.
John Cogliandro coaches the East Valley teams in the budding water polo league, including a new Queen Creek team.
Annalee Hull/Staff Photographer
He also coaches the budding league’s teams, which current comprise three from the East Valley and one from the West Valley. He also will be coaching a new team that’s forming in Queen Creek.
“Over the past year, we’ve been building a growing youth water polo community in Mesa and Chandler, offering kids ages 8–18 the opportunity to learn and compete in a fast-paced Olympic team sport that has historically had little presence in Arizona,” Hagemann said.
She said Arizona’s first community-based youth water polo league is focused on providing “consistent local competition.”
“Right now, most teams travel long distances and pay high tournament fees, limiting who can participate,” she explained. “Our goal is to remove those barriers and grow the sport in our own backyard.”
“Water polo is one of the most challenging and rewarding team sports,” she added, “and we want to spread awareness, build access, and open doors for East Valley kids.”
The Topaz Water Polo Club current counts about 40 athletes across all ages.
The youth program serves ages 6-18 and a women’s and men’s masters program is available to people 18 and older, though Hagemann said, “Our main focus is youth development.”
“We recently sent a team to the 2025 Junior Olympics in California, the largest youth water polo tournament in the country,” she noted. “We also compete in local and regional events throughout the year and are continuing to build toward consistent national competition.”
Hagemann, who was been playing water polo since she was a kid and belongs to Topaz’s women’s masters team, said, “We’re in the pilot phase of launching the league.
“We’ve already run several scrimmage days and mini-tournaments, and are now finalizing rules, structure, and scheduling in preparation for a full launch this coming spring.”
While finding available public pools “used to be one of our biggest hurdles,” Hagemann said, “We’ve made great progress. We now have consistent pool time secured, which gives us the ability to run regular practices and games across multiple sites.”
The club is co-ed, especially for our younger groups ages 6–14. For older athletes, there are both co-ed and gender-specific practices.
Currently, Topaz is offering free trial weeks. “No prior experience is required,” Hagemann said, “just a willingness to learn and have fun in the water.”
Graduate Assistant for Athletics Operations in Lebanon, IL for McKendree University
Details Posted: 12-Aug-25 Location: Lebanon, Illinois Type: Part-time Categories: Operations Operations – Equipment Manager Operations – Event Management Sector: Collegiate Sports McKendree University, located in Lebanon, IL and home of the Bearcats, invites qualified applicants to join our team. McKendree University offers a competitive compensation and benefits package and the opportunity to influence the future […]
McKendree University, located in Lebanon, IL and home of the Bearcats, invites qualified applicants to join our team. McKendree University offers a competitive compensation and benefits package and the opportunity to influence the future leaders of tomorrow.
The mission of McKendree University is to provide a high-quality educational experience to outstanding students. We guide our students in the pursuit of academic excellence, which will prepare them for leadership roles in our society. To achieve this end we encourage broader vision, enriched purpose, engagement with community, commitment to responsible citizenship, openness to new ideas and dedication to lifelong learning. In keeping with our history and traditions, we provide our students with a rigorous, broadly based liberal arts curriculum joined with specialization in a specific discipline.
Position Summary and Key Responsibilities This position is responsible for assisting the Manager of Event and Game Operations in planning, coordinating, and execution of all home athletic events, as well as assisting the Athletics Operations Manager in general day-to-day operations. This includes game operations, events/facilities management, ticketing & promotions, fan engagement, laundry management, and coordinating travel & lodging. This is a part-time position.
Work Conditions Able to lift 25 pounds. Nights and weekends availability is required. Some travel is required.
Required Application Materials Cover Letter Resume/CV
Equal Opportunity Employer
McKendree University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, and other statuses protected by law. This extends to all aspects of the employment relationship, including recruiting, hiring, training, on-the-job treatment, promotion, layoff, and termination.
Qualifications Required Qualifications: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and acceptance into a master’s program at McKendree University is required.
About McKendree University
McKendree University, Illinois’ first and finest, is a private university in Lebanon, Ill., just 25 minutes from downtown St. Louis. The school has approximately 2,000 full-time students and offers both undergraduate and graduate school programs. As a private, independent university, we are committed to providing a personalized education that allows student to reach their full potential. The University has a long tradition of quality and success in intercollegiate athletics and sponsors 36 intercollegiate sports programs. The University is a member of Division II of the NCAA and is a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
Spain, United States of America, Croatia and Australia win groups
Overview In Group A, Spain took out first place with a 15-5 downing of fourth-ranked Israel and Netherlands finished second with a 17-6 win over New Zealand. In Group B, United States of America outplayed Italy 14-6 to go through undefeated while Greece took out second place by delivering Hungary a third consecutive defeat, winning […]
In Group A, Spain took out first place with a 15-5 downing of fourth-ranked Israel and Netherlands finished second with a 17-6 win over New Zealand.
In Group B, United States of America outplayed Italy 14-6 to go through undefeated while Greece took out second place by delivering Hungary a third consecutive defeat, winning their encounter 15-11.
In Group C, Croatia secured the group with a third win, downing Argentina 19-11 and Brazil pleased the home crowd with a 28-3 demolition of Mexico for second place.
In Group D, Australia claimed top ranking with a 14-8 victory over China and Canada took third place with a 14-8 win over South Africa.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Final Points
Group A: Spain 9, Netherlands 6, New Zealand 3, Israel 0 Group B: United States of America 8, Greece 7, Italy 3, Hungary 0 Group C: Croatia 9, Brazil 6, Argentina 3, Mexico 0 Group D: Australia 9, China 6, Canada 3, South Africa 0
Day 4 Schedule
Group E (Classification 13-16) Match 25. 10:30. Argentina v South Africa Match 26. 12:00. Canada v Mexico
Crossovers Match 27. 13:30. Israel v Croatia Match 28. 16:00. Hungary v Australia Match 29. 17:30. Italy v China Match 30. 19:00. New Zealand v Brazil
Match Reports
Match 24, Group B, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 14 ITALY 6 (4-3, 3-0, 4-1, 3-2)
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
USA’s two senior World Championship senior team athletes, Julia Bonaguidi and Emily Ausmus, brought home 10 of the goals required to beat Italy. And Lucy Haaland-Ford, who played the World Cup earlier this year, added another three, although the first goal was attributed to another player, it appears.
USA started quickly with the first two goals in two attacks, allowing one to slip by on extra and then two Bonaguidi goals (for her third) gave a 4-1 boost to the team. Two Italian goals came in reply in the last four minutes for 4-3. Bonaguidi converted extra for her fourth goal and captain and World Aquatics Media All Star team member Ausmus began her run with a penalty goal and one from the deep left when covered for 7-3 at halftime.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Beatrice Cassara, who had six goals coming into this match, converted a penalty foul to start the second half. It was to be another 12 minutes or more before Italy was to score again. Bonaguidi and Ausmus scored before Haaland-Ford sat up in the middle for her first goal, followed by another Ausmus piece of brilliance from a six-metre foul. Haaland-Ford opened the fourth quarter with a pair followed by Bonaguidi (after an Italian timeout) at 4:03 for 14-4. Eleonora Bianco scored at 3:10 and 2:26 for 14-6.
Match Heroes Bonaguidi netted six goals and Ausmus four to lead USA. Bianco scored twice for Italy.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Turning Point The 4-1 score in the first quarter was excellent but holding out Italy in the second and going 7-3 up was the basis for victory.
Stats Don’t Lie USA converted five from nine on extra and defended four from six. Both teams put away their two penalty attempts; Italy took the steals six to five and outshot USA 28-26.
Bottom Line USA is running an excellent team in Salvador and is on target for yet another crown should this consistency prevail. Italy finished third in the group.
Match 23, Group B, HUNGARY 11 GREECE 15 (1-6, 3-4, 5-3, 2-2)
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Greece blitzed Hungary in the opening quarter and from then on Hungary steeled itself and won the next three periods. By then the damage had been done and a third consecutive loss was registered. The previous loss for the Hungarians was the opening match of the 2023 edition when it went down 14-13 against Italy in a penalty shootout. However, it turned the tables on the Italians in the semifinals, winning 10-9 en route to the gold medal. Turning the tables tonight is only a manner of speech as taking three quarters is usually enough, but not in Salvador.
Goals were traded at the start with Greece leading the way through senior star Dionysia Koureta. Greece’s other big guns also came to the fore —women who have been through thick and thin, winning the World Cup and the World Championship crowns this year. Nefeli Krassa on counter and Foteini Tricha with a double showed their recent experience to excellent effect. This trio will prove vital to the team in the second stage of competition. Ariadni Karampetsou converted a penalty and Tricha grabbed her third from the top nearly a minute before the quarter break. Kata Hajdu, a youngster on the senior team after winning gold at juniors two years ago, scored twice in the second period and Laura Kardos once as Greece impressed to the tune of 10-4. Tricha converted a penalty, Karampetsou blasted from eight metres and Krassa added a pair.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Karampetsou started the second half with a penalty goal and goals were traded to 12-6. Eszter Macsai followed up Dominika Kardos’ deep-right goal with her strike on extra. Greece stopped play with a timeout but the eventual shot hit wood. Laura Kardos on counter and BiborPogonyi on extra made it four in a row for Hungary and narrowed the margin to three. Despoina Drakotou took a cross pass on extra to centre forward for 13-9 while a Greek penalty attempt failed to find the mark, spraying wide right.
Krassa put paid to any thoughts that Hungary could make a huge revival, scoring twice in the fourth period, firstly on extra and then on counter for a six-goal margin at 5:54. Hajdu sent in a penalty goal at 4:32, giving faint hope. Both teams took timeouts and only Hungary managed to convert its extra-man opportunity by drawing a penalty foul, which Macsai converted at 1:13, the final score.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Match Heroes Greece’s Krassa with six goals to give her 12 for the week; Tricha scored four to bring up 10 and Karampetsou grabbed three for eight. Macsai and Hajdu scored three each for Hungary and the goalkeepers saved 12.
Turning Point The 6-1 first quarter was almost embarrassing for Hungary. From there Hungary won the match 10-9.
Stats Don’t Lie Greece put away five from 10 on extra to Hungary’s two from four. Greece missed one of four penalty attempts and Hungary scored two. Greece took the steals and six to four and overall shots at 34-29.
Bottom Line Hungary has not been strong this week and Greece took advantage as the second best team in the group.
Match 22, Group C, MEXICO 3 BRAZIL 28 (0-10, 1-6, 1-5, 1-7)
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Brazil swam roughshod over Mexico with a vast array of shots, including nine on counter and minimising fouling. Brazil only gave up two penalty fouls. Brazil had six goals in the bag before Mexico’s Tabata Alba swum up for a penalty shot that hit the left post. Three goals on extra and one from action had Brazil at 10 by the quarter break. Captain Maiah Nascimento set the ball rolling with the first three goals and Stefany Azevedo and Nicolly dos Santos scored consecutive goals each. Leticia Lorieto scored twice to open the second quarter as the score moved to 15-0. Mercedes Feliciano stopped the drought with a big shot from the right side of the pool to open Mexico’s account. Ana de Barros made it 16-1 accepting a pass at centre forward just before the turn.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Nascimento crashed the crossbar on penalty at the top of the second half but scored on the next attack. Da Silva and Lidia Rocha scored twice each before Feliciano again made the sheet, converting a penalty foul, seconds from the final break. Vivian Rangel brought up Mexico’s third goal firing from wide off the left post. Dos Santos grabbed three in a row with another three coming in the final three minutes for 28-3.
Match Heroes Dos Santos with five, Nascimento and da Silva with four and Rocha with three for Brazil. There were 11 scorers in all. For Mexico, Feliciano made two and goalie Alma Luna snared seven saves
Turning Point The opening whistle.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Stats Don’t Lie Brazil converted all six chances and gave none to Mexico. Both missed a penalty attempt from Mexico’s two and Brazil’s three. Brazil stole the ball 17 to four and shot 43 times to 18.
Bottom Line Brazil was always going to be on the front foot against the less experienced Mexicans.
Match 21, Group A, SPAIN 15 ISRAEL 5 (4-0, 4-0, 5-2, 2-3)
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Spain was all over Israel and denied it goal entry in the first half. It was a case of action goals in a match where scoring on extra was never going to win the encounter. Spain was excellent around the pool, made the opportunities and created space from which to action goals. Alba Munoz and Olympic champion Isabel Piralkova scored twice each in the half.
Miya Tirosh scored Israel’s first goal in the second half from deep right and goals were traded to 9-2. Four Spanish goals came with Munoz and Piralkova book-ending the surge for 13-2 at the last break. Noga Levinshtein on extra after a timeout and Gili Borenstein on penalty, lifted the scored to 13-4 by midway through the fourth period. A pair of Spanish goals sent it to 15-4 and Arbelle Bousnach beat the buzzer with a shot from just inside halfway for 15-5 at 0:55.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Match Heroes Piralkova top-scored with three goals in a match where 15 players made the sheet. The Spanish goalkeepers pulled in 12 saves.
Turning Point Keeping Israel scoreless in the first half was where the victory was constructed.
Stats Don’t Lie Spain converted one from two and Israel two from four on extra. Both teams scored a penalty goal; Spain made 10 steals to two and outshot Israel 35-26.
Bottom Line Spain was the elite team and destined to go far in the tournament. Israel is still to win a match.
Match 20, Group A, NETHERLANDS 17 NEW ZEALAND 6 (4-2, 4-1, 4-3, 5-0)
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Netherlands easily took out second place in the group with a solid effort against New Zealand. The Dutch were too good all around the pool and had the incomparable Linde Haksteen in top form. New Zealand opened through Emison Styris on extra and then the Dutch swung into action with four goals before Holly Dunn repeated Styris’ effort, 18 seconds from the quarter buzzer for 4-2. Haksteen rattled in three straight from the left side of the pool for 7-2 in the second period with goals traded, Styris gaining her second.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Dutch captain Robin Jutte scored the first two goals of the third quarter, either side of a saved Kiwi penalty attempt. New Zealand’s Una Dennehy needed VAR to confirm her first goal in Salvador for 10-4, starting a trade through to 12-6 by the last break. New Zealand had a second penalty attempt shut down and Erika Paterson backhanded a goal after having few chances. The Kiwis were kept at bay in the final eight minutes as senior international Pien Gorter blasted one in from the top left and Haksteen went on another three-goal splurge. Melissa Schipper scored the last goal from the top left at 0:58 and the match was sealed.
Match Heroes Haksteen with six goals while goalkeeper Caitlin van Leeuwen made 11 saves in three periods for the Dutch. Styris scored twice for the Kiwis.
Turning Point The 4-1 start and 10-3 lead, plus the final-quarter shut-out gave Netherlands the win.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Stats Don’t Lie Netherlands converted all four extra chances and stopped three of seven Kiwi attempts. New Zealand had both penalty attempts saved; Netherlands went 8-7 on steals and 30-21 on shots.
Bottom Line The Dutch were a more balanced team with plenty of firepower with excellent positioning and passing. New Zealand took its chances but could only get a scoring chance into centre forward once.
Match 19, Group D, CHINA 8 AUSTRALIA 14 (1-4, 3-3, 4-4, 0-3)
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Australia topped its group with a third victory in the major showdown, leaving China to settle for second in the group. The victory was built on a 5-1 lead early in the second quarter and superior extra-player statistics. There were five different scorers in the first quarter with Australia starting first through Bless Daly and a response two minutes later with a centre-forward backhand by Huang Zerui. The Aussies gained two goals on counter with the second through Taafili Taoso. Goals were traded to 6-3 in the second quarter before China grabbed consecutive goals for 6-4. Daly converted extra for her second of the period to give Australia a 7-4 halftime advantage.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Sienna Owen drove to centre forward to score the second-half’s first goal and 8-4. Then China came back strongly with three unanswered goals, including as second for Zhang Jingwen while Xie Linshan’s lob needing VAR to decide whether it had beaten the buzzer. Daly and senior international Zhang Yumian swapped goals for 9-8. Australia went to timeout and Taoso obliged with her second goal and soon after Charley Stephens scored an identical goal for 11-8 at the last break. China could not find a way through in the final quarter and Taoso scored twice more with Ebony Nash gaining her second goal, this time with a backhand from two metres.
Match Heroes Taoso and Daly with four goals each for the Aussies and goalkeeper Isabel Scott took in eight saves. For China, Zhang Jingwen scored twice and goalie Yan Xintong made nine saves.
Turning Point The 5-1 start was just enough to hold out China when it came close at 9-8.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Stats Don’t Lie Australia was all powerful on extra, converting eight from 16 compared to China’s two from seven. Australia scored the only penalty goal, won the steals 9-8 and the shots 29-27.
Bottom Line Australia proved the more dominant team in front of goal and scoring that many goals on extra was the difference.
Match 18, Group D, CANADA 14 SOUTH AFRICA 8 (3-5, 3-3, 3-5, 2-6)
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Canada secured third placing in the group with its first victory, leaving South Africa winless and in fourth position. Canada had the services of Isabella Mady who could score from anywhere and a team around her. Brooklyn Plomp scored two for Canada in the opening quarter while Bella Murray backhanded from four metres wide of the post for 4-2. Mady turned up in the second quarter with the first two goals, one on extra and the other with a lob. She scored the final two Canadian goals, one on extra and the second with a backhander from four metres. Emma Pelicot gained South Africa’s sole goal with a strike from wide left.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Goals were traded in the third quarter to 11-5 with Mady in the mix and Jaime van den Bosch scoring her second South African goal, also from wide out. Plomp scored the 12-5 goal from eight metres with a second left on the clock. Cianne Benjamin started the fourth quarter with her second goal but this one after a steal from well inside her half and then launched a long shot into an empty South African goal as the South African goalkeeper was scrambling from the right side of the pool. Senior international Hannah Banks (RSA) slotted a penalty goal for 13-6; Canada had a penalty shot rejected; Mady claimed her eighth goal with a lob shot and South African Cate McMurray scored the final two goals in the last 95 seconds — on counter and from deep right for 14-8.
Match Heroes Mady with a six-goal haul and Plomp with three for Canada. McMurray and van den Bosch scored twice each for South Africa.
Turning Point From 4-2 at the quarter, Canada shot out to 8-2, setting up the victory.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Stats Don’t Lie Canada converted two from four on extra and South Africa one from three. Canad missed its penalty chance and South Africa made sure of its one attempt. South Africa controlled the steals at 12-7 and outshot Canada 28-26.
Bottom Line Canada had Mady with extraordinary skills.
Match 17, Group C, ARGENTINA 11 CROATIA 19 (3-5, 3-3, 3-5, 2-6)
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Croatia came up with its third victory to win the group and Argentina has to settle for third. The final score flattered Croatia as Argentina battled hard throughout and maintained some attachment, especially at 12-9 behind three minutes from the final break. Jelena Butic scored the first three Croatian goals and Ria Glas the next two as Croatia took command. Isabella Mastronardi finished the quarter scoring with her second from the top left for Argentina. Croatia went 6-3 and Argentina pulled two back starting with a Mastronardi penalty goal. Neli Jankovic had her penalty attempt saved and traded goals brought up the 8-6 scoreline by halftime.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Goals were swapped to 10-8, three minutes into the third period before Butic shot from the top and Iva Rozic converted a penalty for 12-8. Mastronardi replied on extra from deep left and Glas drove to centre forward and lobbed for 13-9 two minutes from the final break. The score moved to 15-10 before Glas added three more and Niki Alamat finished with a counter-attack goal for 19-11.
Match Heroes Glas with a tournament-high eight goals, Butic with five and Jankovic three were Croatia’s best while Argentina’s Mastronardi made four goals and goalkeeper Faustina Escola took in 11 saves in her time in water.
Turning Point Butic’s quick opening strike gave notice but it was not until midway through the second quarter that Croatia created a separation that Argentina struggled to bridge.
Image Source: Satiro Sodré/CBDA/World Aquatics
Stats Don’t Lie Argentina scored all three extra chances and Croatia one from two. Argentina made two penalty goals and Croatia two from three. Croatia topped the steals 11-5 and shot more at 38-29.
Bottom Line Croatia, full of senior internationals, had the bigger players and more strength to wear down the smaller Argentinians.
