WATER POLO: Australia has opened their 2012 London Olympic Games women’s water polo campaign with a powerful 10-8 victory over Italy courtesy of some solid defence and brilliant extra man attack.

The Australians led from start to finish with captain and triple Olympian Kate Gynther showing the way with three goals, while all rounder Nicola Zagame chipped in with a brace on her Olympic debut.

At the other end of the pool Australia were merciless.  In Elisa Casanova and Tersa Frassinetti, the Italians have perhaps the most daunting centre forward duo in women’s water polo, but the pair failed to dominate Australia for prolonged periods, denying the Europeans from ever getting on top of the Aussie Stingers.

The game was also momentous for the fact that by making her Olympic debut, Australian centre forward Holly Lincoln-Smith joined her older sister Emma in becoming the first Australian siblings to represent their country at a Winter and Summer Olympic Games.

The Australians got off to a flying start with Gynther scoring after just 90 seconds and sharpshooter Glencora Ralph converting an extra man opportunity three and a half minutes later to go two goals up.

The Italians then converted a rare double extra man chance, which left the scores at 2-1 at the first break.

Zagame then kicked off the second quarter with two straight goals, one a brilliant solo length of the field drive that came after she forced Casanova to turn the ball over at the other end.

At that stage the Aussies led 4-1 and had all the run of play but the Italians would not lie down, scoring three consecutive goals, including two long range strikes from star Federica Radicchi, to see the scores locked at four goals apiece at half time.

A time out called by Australian head coach Greg McFadden after an Italian exclusion was the catalyst for Rowie Webster’s first Olympic goal three minutes into the third quarter, before Gynther struck for her second.

Zagame made another big play in attack when she earnt a penalty on the Italy two-metre line which was duly – and calmly – converted by the team’s youngest player, 19 year-old Ashleigh Southern. Then with 30 seconds left in the term Holly Lincoln-Smith’s counter attack goal from a Mel Rippon pass looked like it had sucked the life out of the Italians and suddenly it was 8-4 to Australia at three quarter time.

In the fourth quarter Italy scored twice early, followed by two for Australia courtesy of Bronwen Knox and Gynther, before the Italians gave the Aussie Stingers a fright with two more quick goals.

But in the end, the defence that had held strong for the Australians throughout shone again and they hung on to win by two goals.

Australia’s head coach Greg McFadden said his team showed some nervous signs early in the game but came good in that dynamic third quarter.

“I think nerves played a big part with the girls playing in their first Olympic Games, in front of a big crowd, in front of their family and everyone back home watching on telly and I think we kind of lost a bit of composure,” McFadden said.

“The second quarter was a bit better and the third quarter obviously was the quarter we stuck to our guns in defence and we played some really good water polo.”

McFadden addressed his players at halftime about being more clinical in their defence and it payed off with the four goals to nil third quarter.

“There wasn’t communication in our defence, two or three players were coming off (the opposition) instead of just one (and) no one was taking control,” he said.

“We spoke about that at halftime and from then on we got the result.”

The Aussie Stingers’ next game is against the improving Great Britain side that is sure to have the boisterous home crowd in raptures. The swim off will be at 7.40pm (London time) on Day 5.

The Australian men’s team, the Aussie Sharks, play Kazakhstan in their next Group A game tomorrow (Day 4) at 2.10pm. 

David Lyall in London
Olympics.com.au