WATER POLO: Australia’s women’s water polo team is guaranteed a shot at a medal after winning a thrilling quarterfinal against China 20-18 in a penalty shootout after the scores were locked at 14-all at full time and 16-all at the end of extra time.

Australia has a proud history in women’s water polo having not finished outside the top four in the three Olympic Games since the women’s tournament made its Olympic debut in 2000 – they won in Sydney, were fourth in Athens and third in Beijing – but there is no doubt this was their most courageous victory.

They came back from two goals down with four minutes remaining in normal time to earn another chance and again from a score behind in the penalty shootout.

Playing the extra time minus key players Bronwen Knox, Nicola Zagame and Gemma Beadsworth who had all already been excluded for three major fouls, then losing captain Kate Gynther early in the second overtime period, the Aussie Stingers defended like their lives depended on it.

And they took their chances in front of goal too with Olympic rookies Holly Lincoln-Smith, Ash Southern and Glencora Ralph all scoring the most important goals of their burgeoning careers. In the end it was Mel Rippon, the most capped woman in Australian water polo history, that scored Australia’s final goal in extra man before stepping up to convert the last penalty in the shootout to seal the victory.

“It’s one of those games that I think we just showed the spirit of this team,” a proud Rippon said.

“It doesn’t matter what the score is we’re never going to give up and we just fought it out to the end. There wasn’t a moment when I didn’t think we could do it no matter what the score was.

“It keeps the Olympic dream alive.”

It took less than two minutes for Australia to open the scoring via an extra man goal to Rowie Webster, her eighth of these Games, before the sharpshooter committed a penalty at the other end that China routinely converted to make it 1-1.

Ralph then scored from a trademark lob shot from the righthand side of the pool, only to see China’s massive centre forward He Jin score with a backhander and their captain Teng Fei drill one home too to take their first lead of the game.

Australia then scored from a Zagame counter attack that was aided by a perfect long pass from triple Olympian Rippon. On the next Australian possession it was déjà vu as goalkeeper Alicia McCormack found Zagame to again put one past the hapless Chinese keeper to make it 4-3 to Australia.

China then scored two more goals before Zagame got her hat trick with a laser in extra man to head into quarter time for a well needed break with the scores locked at 5-all.

The second term began with two goals to Australia – a brilliant backhand at centre forward for Beadsworth and an unmarked strike from Lincoln-Smith after a Gynther pass. China then got back into it with two perfectly executed extra man goals to again tie things up. Ralph got her second of the game after Zagame swam the length of the field with the ball and offloaded a great pass, only to see China equalise at the other end to enter halftime at 8-8.

Gynther got the first goal of the third stanza but the strike was immediately matched by the Chinese. Gynther then made it a double by converting a penalty earned by a determined Lincoln-Smith at centre forward. At that point Knox received her third foul and was kicked out for the game. Again China came straight back into it and then took the lead with another extra man goal after questionable call that saw Ralph excluded for a foul.

China took the biggest lead of the game - 12-10 - with 25 seconds left in the quarter when they scored in extra man after Zagame was excluded. It was the star all rounder’s third major foul of the game and with it Australia lost one of their most important players with more than a quarter to play.

Beadsworth got the ball rolling for the Australians 90 seconds into the final quarter, earning a clever foul then firing the shot away in extra man to make it 11-12, only to see China convert their next extra man chance.

Then Ash Southern, who hadn’t had a lot of pool time, worked her way into centre forward, earned a foul and then buried the goal in extra man to again bring it within a goal. From there the Australians defended their Olympic dream with everything they had – surviving two extra man chances, one when Beadsworth got her third major, before Jane Moran earned an extra man opportunity and Southern once again nailed it.

With one minute 28sec to go it was 13-all and Australia was back in it. Enter China’s Teng again for a goal from seemingly nowhere as the shot clock wound down for China to lead 14-13. The teams sprinted to the other end and after an exchange of passes Lincoln-Smith scored the most important goal of her career – a backhand miracle.

Australia then stuck like glue to the Chinese in defence, repelling any chance of a shot on goal and when they stole the ball with 11 seconds to go coach Greg McFadden called a timeout. This time China defended stoutly and Australia could not get a shot away before the fulltime hooter sounded with the scores locked at 14-all and the game headed to extra time.

In the first three minute period of extra time China had the first opportunity to score with two separate extra man chances but couldn’t get an effective shot away and the Australians were gaining the ascendancy. Then when the Chinese sat off Ralph at the other end she didn’t need a second chance, giving Australia the lead, 15-14.

An extra man goal to China after a dubious exclusion against Lincoln-Smith tied things up before Rippon was left alone and made the Chinese pay with five seconds left in the period for a 16-15 lead.

In the deciding period Gynther was excluded after 80 seconds – her third - leaving the Aussies with just seven possible field players for the tense remainder but China couldn’t capitalise immediately. But it didn’t take them long after Ralph was excluded with 44 seconds to go and again the scores were tied.

McFadden, called a timeout and it was left to 19 year-old Southern to take the last shot – a bullet that smashed into the posts and ricocheted away forcing the game into a penalty shootout.

The Australians had been practising penalty shootouts since last September in preparation for a moment like this and they stepped up to the mark ready.

In the shootout Rowie Webster had her shot saved and China scored to go one up. Southern then tied things up, only for China to convert again. Next up it was Ralph and she made no mistake before McCormack dug the next Chinese player’s shot out of the water for the save.

Lincoln-Smith drilled her opportunity and China hit the post before Rippon ensured a memorable victory with her final shot.

The Australians will now play the winner of tonight’s match between the USA and Italy in the semi finals.

The Australian men’s team plays a must win game against Greece tomorrow at 11.20am (London time) with the victor moving through to the quarterfinals. The loser’s London campaign will be over.

Dave Lyall at the Water Polo Arena
Olympics.com.au