Sydney University’s Australian women’s water polo representatives Keesja Gofers and Hannah Buckling came home from the Intercontinental Cup in New Zealand with silver medals after the US edged out Australia 12-10 in an extra-time final.
The Stingers were aiming for back-to-back titles and all but achieved the feat, holding the US to 5-5 at halftime and 8-8 at regulation fulltime. Buckling contributed two goals and Gofers scored one goal in the tense decider.
The game then went into a penalty decider, with the US prevailing 4-2 to win the gold.
The Stingers won five games on their way to the final: defeating Japan 17-6, New Zealand 10-2, Canada 5-4, Brazil 17-4 and China 13-6.
They will now turn their attention to the FINA World League Super Final to be held from June 9-14 in Shanghai, China, where they hope to improve on their bronze medal winning effort from 2014.
