2016 FINA Women's Intercontinental Tournament, Day 2

On Day 2 of round-robin play at the FINA Women’s Intercontinental Tournament in Lewisville, Texas, two teams (Australia and the US)  won emphatically and remained undefeated while Brazil triumphed for the first time this week.

In the opening match, Australia swiftly dismantled Canada, 11-2, thanks, in part, to exceptional goalkeeping by Kelsey Wakefield who made 15 saves.

Next, Brazil faced Japan after both had endured tough losses on day 1. At first, Brazil seemed unstoppable until Japan’s fourth-quarter rally turned a 6-1 deficit into a 7-6 game with 4:29 to go. Ultimately, Brazil clung to its lead and survived, 10-7.

In the third match, China’s Head Coach Ricardo Azevedo put up some of his least-experienced players against the dominant US, and the host nation won, 19-5.

When the tournament ends on Sunday, the top four teams (plus China) will qualify for the FINA World League Super Final, June 7-12, in Shanghai, China.

GAME 1: 16:40 CANADA 2 AUSTRALIA 11
Quarters: 0-2, 2-4, 0-2, 0-3

Extra Man: CAN: 0/9. AUS 2/6.
Pens: Nil

Teams:
CANADA: Jessica Gaudreault, Krystina Alogbo (1), Katrina Monton, Emma Wright, Monika Eggens, Kelly McKee, Joelle Bekhazi, Shae Fournier, Carmen Eggens (1), Christine Robinson, Axelle Crevier, Dominique Perreault, Nicola Colterjohn. Head Coach: David Paradelo.
AUSTRALIA: 1. Lea Yanitsas, Gemma Beadsworth, Hannah Buckling (2), Holly Lincoln-Smith (1), Keesja Gofers (1), Bronte Halligan (2), Rowena Webster (2), Glencora McGhie (1), Zoe Arancini, Ashleigh Southern, Isobel Bishop, Nicola Zagame (2), Kelsey Wakefield. Head Coach: Greg McFadden.

Australia beat Canada, 11-2, to remain undefeated after two days of the tournament.

In the first quarter, Australia took a 2-0 lead via an early tap-in by Hannah Buckling and a goal by captain Rowena Webster with 49 seconds to go.  In the second quarter, Bronte Halligan scored twice for Australia within the first 65 seconds to build a 4-0 lead. Canada responded with two points – the first came when center Krystina Alogbo snagged a loose ball intended for Aussie goalie Kelsey Wakefield, and the second when Carmen Eggens blasted a long skipping shot into the net.  Australia scored twice more to take a 6-2 lead at halftime.

In the second half, Australia scored five goals in a row while Kelsey Wakefield’s quick reflexes and good eye in goal rendered Canada scoreless en route to an Aussie victory.  

QUOTES:
Canada Head Coach David Paradelo:
“We didn’t have discipline on offense and gave some counter attacks, and we had power play opportunities when we could have scored. Beyond that, great goalkeeping on the other side. In November, we played Australia in a one-game friendly tournament in Rio and tied 6-6.”

Australia Goalkeeper Kelsey Wakefield (15 saves):
“I was really happy with how I played. We didn’t have a very good defensive game yesterday against China so that was our main focus today, and that was the strength of our game. Everything built from there.”
 
GAME 2: 18:00, BRAZIL 10 JAPAN 7
Quarters: 3-1, 2-0, 2-3, 3-3

Extra Man: BRA 4/14 JPN: 0/6.
Pens: BRA 0/1, JPN 1/2

Teams:
BRAZIL Tess Oliveira, Diana Abla (1), Marina Zablith, Marina Canetti (2), Camila Pedrosa (1), Isabella Chiappini (2), Amanda Oliveira, Luiza Carvalho, Melani Dias (2), Viviane Bahia, Marina Duarte (2), Gabriela Mantellato, Victoria Chamorro. Head Coach: Pat Oaten.
JAPAN: Rikako Miura, Chiaki Sakanoue, Akari Inaba (3), Shino Magariyama, Yuri Kazama (1), Ayaka Takahashi, Yumi Nakano, Mitsuki Hashiguchi (1), Kana Hosoya, Mori Tsubasai, Marina Tokumoko, Kotori Suzuki (2), Miyuu Aoki. Head Coach: Hideo Kato.

Brazil was on a tear against Japan – until it wasn’t.

In the first half, Brazil had twice as many turnovers as Japan (10 vs. 5), and took fewer shots (10 vs. 16) but it also scored on 3 of its 7 powerplays (while Japan converted on none of its four) to lead 5-1 at halftime.

Brazil opened the third quarter with its fourth powerplay goal of the match (by Marina Canetti) to extend its lead, 6-1. But Japan rallied after Akari Inaba scored her second goal of the game with a high arcing shot with 5:28 to go. Japan would score twice more in the third period (including a 5-meter penalty shot by Yuri Kazama) but still trailed 7-4 with eight minutes to go.

In the fourth quarter, Japan came within one goal of Brazil when Inaba slammed a hard shot diagonally across the net to make it 7-6 (and give Inaba a hat trick) with 4:29 remaining. Brazil rallied to make it 8-6, Japan answered to make it 8-7, but Brazil ended the game with two shots of its own, to win 10-7.

QUOTES:
Brazil Head Coach Pat Oaten:
“The Japanese didn’t stop. They fought and fought and fought. You have to give all the credit to them. My team, if they continue to play like this, we’re going to have trouble. [Still, it was Brazil’s first victory here. Anything positive?]  From that game? No, just the result.”

Japan Head Coach Hideo Kato:
“Our young players were very effective. They were very confident to shoot. The first half, we missed many points, [and the score was] 5 to 1. But we kept getting more and more so it gives big confidence. If we never give up, we can make it.”

GAME 3: 19:20, USA 19 CHINA 5
Quarters: 5-1, 5-0, 5-2, 4-2

Extra Man: USA: 5/8. CHN 1/6
Pens: CHN 1/1

Teams:
UNITED STATES: Sami Hill, Maddie Musselman (2), Melissa Seidemann (2), Rachel Fattal (1), KK Clark, Maggie Steffens (3), Courtney Mathewson (2), Kiley Neushul (3), Aria Fischer, Kaleigh Gilchrist (1), Makenzie Fischer (3), Kami Craig (2), Ashleigh Johnson. Head Coach: Adam Krikorian.
CHINA: Yang Jun, Lu Yiwen, Mei Xiaohan, Xiong Dunhan (1), Niu Guannan, Sun Yating, Song Donglun, Zhang Cong (1), Zhao Zihan (1), Zhang Wei Wei, Wang Xinyan (1), Zhang Jing (1), Peng Lin. Head Coach: Ricardo Azevedo.

Nine players scored for the US in a 19-5 victory over China on Tuesday, and three earned hat tricks: team captain Maggie Steffens; Kiley Neushul who had already scored five goals against Brazil on Day 1; and 18-year-old Makenzie Fischer whose father, Erich, was a 1992 Olympic water polo player who helped the US men place fourth in Barcelona.

For China, much less was at stake because it already qualified for the Rio Olympics. But once it trailed 7-1 in the first half of the second quarter, head coach Ricardo Azevedo said, “I thought the game was over so I tried to work a bit on the press instead of a zone and got a couple of good combinations in there.”

On Thursday, the US will try to extend its unblemished record against Japan, and China will seek its first victory when it faces Canada.

QUOTES:
United States Head Coach Adam Krikorian
“We’re not concerned about the score, honestly. We’re at a different phase than China is. We’re trying to get ready for our [Olympic] qualification tournament, and they know they’re going to be playing in Rio in August. I was happy with how aggressive we came out offensively, and I think we were consistent defensively which is something we’ve been emphasizing.”

China Head Coach Ricardo Azevedo
“Today’s game has no meaning on anything. We know the United States was going to win, so I started a 17-year-old at the 2-meter guard position (Lu Yiwen), I started a back-up goalie (Peng Lin), I started a 16-year-old in center (Xiong Dunhan) to see how they can do under pressure. I actually felt they did alright. For us, this is all training. I’m already qualified for the Olympics. I just have to play as many people as possible to give them the opportunity.

“But we didn’t play particularly a very good game. At the end of the first quarter, beginning of the second quarter, we made some key mistakes that gave them the run, and once the United States gets ahead, it’s impossible to take it back.

“The US is a very strong team, but their Olympics is in four weeks [at the crucial Olympic qualifier]. Ours is in six months.”