Sydney University’s representatives at the 2015 World Water Polo Championships, being played at Kazan, Russia, are bracing for quarter-final matches after performing well in their pool matches.
Keesja Gofers, Hannah Buckling, Bronte Halligan and Lea Yanitsas helped the Australian Stingers to the top of Group B after their three pool matches, with wins over the Netherlands, Greece and South Africa. The Netherland finished second in the Group and will also progress.
They’ll contest the quarter-finals along with Spain and Canada, who headed Group A, Italy and the US, who topped Group C, and Russia and China, who headed Group D.
In the men’s championship, Sydney University’s Johnno Cotterill scored some crucial goals to help the Australian Sharks to the quarter-finals. Australia finished second behind Serbia in Group D to stay alive in the title hunt.
Hungary, Croatia, Greece, Canada, USA and Kazakhstan will also contest the quarter-finals in coming days.
Serbia came from two down in the final quarter of their pool match to defeat the Sharks 10-9 and earn a quarter-final berth.
The Aussie men’s team had two goals controversially disallowed at the death and had to be satisfied with second in the group. Australia and Montenegro finished tied on points after a 5-5 draw between them two days earlier, but had the better goal differential.
