KFC QLD Breakers Women win SILVER at 2010 NWPL finals


9 May  2010

 2010 NWPL Silver medallists

The 2010 NWPL final series concluded Saturday in Sydney with the KFC QLD Breakers securing the SILVER medal losing by one goal to the Brisbane Barracudas 9-10. Goal scorers: B Knox 3, S Mills, J Stuhmcke 2, S Horgan, S Smith 1.

 

Awards from 2010 NWPL Finals

2010 NWPL Female Player of Final series: Bronwen Knox

2010 NWPL Allstars team - Bronwen Knox

Final placings:
Women:
Gold: Brisbane Barracudas
Silver: KFC QLD Breakers Women
Bronze: Fremantle Marlins

Men:
Gold: Victorian Tigers
Silver: Drummoyne Devils
Bronze:Fremantle Marlins

5th place: KFC QLD Breakers Men

 

*** Aussie Sharks team announced

Billy Miller was named in the Aussie sharks team to contest the preliminary rounds of the World League in Japan and China later this month.

 

 

*** Aussie Women's squad announced

Bronwen Knox and Sophie Smith were named in the Aussie women's squad to attend a training camp to be held in Canberra this week. From this camp, a Aussie women's team will be announced for the World League and European tour in late May / June. Sarah Mills was unavailable for selection due to study commitments.

 

*** Bronwen Knox wins AWPI 2009 Female player of the year

Bronwen Knox was awarded the AWPI 2009 Female player of the year award at the AWPI Hall of Fame dinner held at Homebush last Friday night.

 

*** Reminder: Breakers Awards Dinner Sat 15 May 2010

Where:             Jubilee Hotel

Time:                   6:00pm

Cost:                  $50 per person - Includes 2 course dinner and drinks

RSVP:               By 5pm Wed 12 May    -    Email Matt Birch

 ** ALL PLAYERS FREE **

 


*** Excerpt from AWPI website

Quarters: 2-3, 1-1, 3-2, 3-4

VICI Brisbane Barracudas went back to back at the National Water Polo finals at Homebush this afternoon, beating KFC Queensland Breakers 10-9.

The game was level pegging throughout but the Mel Rippon-led side, with three long-range goals from Kate Gynther proving the difference, became the second multiple winner of the title in its seven-year history.

Bronze medallists Longmont Fremantle Marlins have won four.

The Barracudas lost the lead for only 26 seconds late in the third quarter but otherwise made KFC to come back each time.

Barracudas led 3-0 in the first period before KFC woke up. KFC then levelled the game at six by the final break, seven, eight, nine at 3:34, before Ash Southern fired in from the top for what was the winner at 3:14.

This was a high-powered, exciting match and KFC Breakers can be proud of their efforts.

Bronwen Knox was again to the fore for Breakers with three goals but Sarah Mills was influential in spurring her team on in the dying stages, taking on leadership responsibilities when it came to trying to get the ball into the goal.

By Andy PICKERING, Infostrad Sports

The Brisbane Barracudas were crowned queens of the pool after defeating KFC Queensland Breakers 11-10 in a nail-biting Grand Final at the Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.

With the scores tied at 10-10 the winning goal came from Ashleigh Southern when the 17-year-old fired a bouncing shot past Breaker‚s goalkeeper Ursula Talbot with three minutes left on the clock.

The Breakers threw everything they had at their fellow Queenslanders in the final minutes but squandered an extra-man attack with 30 seconds to go when Sophie Smith fired straight at Kelsey Wakefield in the Barracudas cage.

In the only significant deficit of the game, the Breakers found themselves 3-0 down with a minute to go in the first quarter before a late rally saw them strike back twice in a minute to reduce the gap to one at the end of the first.

After a second quarter that yielded a goal apiece, the game burst into life in the third quarter as the Breakers snatched the lead for the first time in the game, only for the Barracuda‚s Kate Gynther to reply immediately to leave the game evenly poised at 6-6 going into the final quarter.

Despite two spectacular long range goals from Brisbane‚s Nanda Stoltz the Breakers refused to let their gold medal hopes die and equalised three times before Southern‚s bullet confined them to the silver medal.

The game represented a first Grand Final for the Breakers while Brisbane's victory means they have won two major championships in a row after their success in 2009.

"We will just have to go back to the drawing board, back to training and hopefully we can do three in a row," said Barracudas' keeper Kelsey Wakefield.


FLASH QUOTES

Jack LUSIC – Coach – KFC Queensland Beakers:

On the game:

“It was a fabulous performance. The problem is that we know each other too well, and a win by one goal could have been either side.”

On the season:

“There were up and downs during the season but we ended quite well. We had some games that couldn’t travel but we ended beating every team at least once in the competition.”

Bronwen KNOX – Player - KFC Queensland Beakers:

On the game:

“We know each other very well and it’s always a tough game. We started slow this time but came back. They played a very good game!”

On the season:

“We had a pretty solid play during the season. We had some ups a downs but we played such a big team game. We’ve made it to the finals, which is very pleasing.”

For all 2010 NWPL results please visit the Australian Water Polo website