WP 20 & U (W): USA gets the gold in Volos (GRE)

Lausanne (SUI), POLO AIR (August 26, 2013) – The team of USA won the FINA World Women’s Junior Water Polo Championships, organised in Volos (GRE) from August 19-25, 2013. In the decisive game of the competition, the North Americans triumphed over Spain by 9-7. The Iberians were the 2011 champions, and at senior level had also lost to the North Americans in the 2012 Olympic final, clinching however the world title at the recent 15th FINA World Championships in Barcelona (ESP). For USA, this result was a huge improvement compared with the eighth place two years ago in the Junior World Championships.

The bronze medal went to the host team of Greece, who defeated Russia by 7-6 in a thrilling match defining the third and fourth position. The Hellenic squad was sixth in 2011, while the Russians had also stayed at the podium’s door two years ago in Trieste (ITA).

Italy and Hungary fought for the fifth place, with the Italians clearly dominating by 10-6, and Australia got the seventh spot by winning 14-3 over Great Britain.

The complete ranking of the Championships in Volos was:

FINAL RANKING

1.	UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA)
2.	SPAIN (ESP)
3.	GREECE (GRE)

4. RUS; 5. ITA; 6. HUN; 7. AUS; 8. GBR; 9. CAN; 10. NZL;

11. UZB; 12. UKR; 13. BRA; 14. KAZ; 15. RSA

In individual terms, the best player of the tournament was Rachel Fattal (USA), while her teammate Ashleigh Johnson earned the prize for the best goalkeeper. As for the most goals (23) of the tournament, they were scored by Spain’s Roser Tarrago Aymerich.

Liga dan Kejurnas U-17: Tim Polo Air Sumbar Berlaga di Bandung

Padang, Padek, POLO AIR -  Tim polo air putra Sumbar diberangkatkan untuk me­ngi­kuti Liga Polo Air putaran II yang akan dilaksanakan 26-30 Agus­tus di Kolam Renang Tirta Lega, Bandung. Selain itu, Sumbar juga mengirimkan tim polo air untuk mengikuti Kejurnas Polo Air Yunior U-17. Pada liga dan kejurnas ini, Sumbar bertekad memberikan hasil maksimal, paling tidak mempertahankan gelar seba­gai runner-up pada putaran I beberapa waktu lalu di Padang. 

”Sebanyak 13 pemain, satu pelatih, satu wasit dan satu orang manajer akan I berang­katkan. Tim ini akan berangkat Jumat malam dengan mele­wati jalur darat membawa dua mobil pribadi,” kata Sekum PRSI Sum­bar, Maidison, ke­ma­rin.

Pemain-pemain yang di ba­wa adalah, M Guntur, San­sino, Afis Alamsyah, Anggi Darma Putra, Diky Anugrah, Azwan Risman, Irvan Ryandi, Edi Da­sra, M.Fikri dan M.Far­han.  ”Tiga orang lainnya yakni, No­vendra Deni, Adek Alfiandri dan Ilfan Riyandi akan me­nyusul karena ketiganya te­ngah me­ngikuti Pelatnas SEA Games.

Sedangkan untuk mengi­kuti Kejurnas U-17, kita memi­liki pemain pas-pasan, yaitu, M Fikri, Farhan, Gilang, Azwan Risma, Adek Alfiandri, San­sino dan M Guntur,” kata Maidison.

Meskipun memiliki keter­batasan dana, tim Sumbar akan berusaha semaksimal mungkin untuk memberikan hasil yang terbaik. ”Kami be­rangkat de­ngan dana yang minim, karena belum ada ban­tuan dari KONI. Kita maklum dengan kondisi KONI seka­rang, mudah-mu­dahan jika mereka sudah ada dana, KONI bisa membantu kita. Agar tetap bisa ikut serta, kami mengupayalan dana sendiri. Mudah-mudahan per­ma­sala­han ini tidak menghambat kita untuk meraih prestasi yang membanggakan,” harapnya.

Sementara, Pelatih polo air Sumbar, Peris AB mengaku terus melakukan persiapan pasca putaran I lalu. Meskipun hanya berlatih diluar kolam, ia mengaku anak asuhnya telah mengalami peningkatan. Ia berharap, semua pemainnya bermain semaksimal mungkin agar bisa meraih prestasi.

”Hingga saat ini kita masih terus menjalani latihan. Sete­lah putaran I lalu, kita tidak bisa latihan di kolam karena puasa. Meskipun demikian, anak-anak mengalami pening­katan di segi kondisi fisiknya. Untuk putaran II ini, kami ha­nya menambah satu pemain saja, yaitu M Far­han,” kata Peris.

Permasalahan yang ada sekarang adalah, pemain akan mengalami kelelahan karena menempuh perjalanan darat. “Kondisi pemain pasti menu­run saat pertandingan nanti. Saya akan minta pemain me­man­faatkan waktu untuk isti­rahat sebaik mungkin sebelum per­tan­dingan. Semua pemain pasti akan berupaya maksimal untuk memenangkan setiap per­tan­dingan,” ujar mantan pelatih timnas.  (padang ekspres)

15th FINA World Championships 2013: Water Polo Women: Day 5: ESP 9 USA 6

POLO AIR INDONESIA,  29 July 2013, It was the Olympic final all over again. This time the script had changed and Spain won instead of United States of America. Four times USA came within one goal of Spain, but that was it. Spain won 9-6 — a six-goal turnaround from the London Olympics just a year ago.

There was no Maggie Steffens five-goal haul but there was a Jennifer Pareja four-goal procession in the first half as Spain turned at 4-2, levelled the third quarter 1-1 and won the last 3-1. This was all about Spain, five times the bridesmaid and twice finishing level with USA in major competition, but never winning before tonight.

The landscape has changed and USA is no longer the dominant force of last year (many retirements), and slipping further from the bronze medal gained at the World League in Beijing a month ago.

The match was electric, mainly because of the Spanish surge, two Pareja goals making it 3-1. She scored either side of the first break, had four goals and saw her team 5-2 ahead.

Kameryn Craig, who scored three goals in a match where the USA centre forwards were stifled, scored USA’s third and Steffens pierced the goal on penalty to close the half at 5-4.

Maica Garcia, at the top of the third, and Melissa Seidemann four minutes later were the only scores of the period. The latter goal came off a rebound. Pareja had a fifth goal rejected but no fear, Garcia and Laura Lopez for a second goal each and Roser Tarrago on extra had the game sewn up by 0:39.

Craig scored vented her frustration with a great centre-forward goal inside the final half-minute for 9-6.

Spain was medal bound and USA will play in the round 5-8 for the second time in two years, finishing sixth to Australia in Shanghai.

The extra-man statistics belie the fact Spain actually converted one from seven and USA none from eight. That was some of the tightest defensive play of the championship and both sides have the scars to prove it.

15th FINA World Championships 2013: Water Polo Women: Day 5: ESP 9 USA 6

POLO AIR INDONESIA,  29 July 2013, It was the Olympic final all over again. This time the script had changed and Spain won instead of United States of America. Four times USA came within one goal of Spain, but that was it. Spain won 9-6 — a six-goal turnaround from the London Olympics just a year ago.

There was no Maggie Steffens five-goal haul but there was a Jennifer Pareja four-goal procession in the first half as Spain turned at 4-2, levelled the third quarter 1-1 and won the last 3-1. This was all about Spain, five times the bridesmaid and twice finishing level with USA in major competition, but never winning before tonight.

The landscape has changed and USA is no longer the dominant force of last year (many retirements), and slipping further from the bronze medal gained at the World League in Beijing a month ago.

The match was electric, mainly because of the Spanish surge, two Pareja goals making it 3-1. She scored either side of the first break, had four goals and saw her team 5-2 ahead.

Kameryn Craig, who scored three goals in a match where the USA centre forwards were stifled, scored USA’s third and Steffens pierced the goal on penalty to close the half at 5-4.

Maica Garcia, at the top of the third, and Melissa Seidemann four minutes later were the only scores of the period. The latter goal came off a rebound. Pareja had a fifth goal rejected but no fear, Garcia and Laura Lopez for a second goal each and Roser Tarrago on extra had the game sewn up by 0:39.

Craig scored vented her frustration with a great centre-forward goal inside the final half-minute for 9-6.

Spain was medal bound and USA will play in the round 5-8 for the second time in two years, finishing sixth to Australia in Shanghai.

The extra-man statistics belie the fact Spain actually converted one from seven and USA none from eight. That was some of the tightest defensive play of the championship and both sides have the scars to prove it.

15th FINA World Championships 2013: Water Polo Women, Day 5: Spain inflicts more pain on USA as Olympic champion bows out of medals

POLO AIR INDONESIA, 29 July 2013, For the second day in a row, Spanish water polo teams have bundled United States of America out of medal contention at the Bernat Picornell Pool. On Sunday, the men defeated USA 10-6 in a quarterfinal qualifier and tonight in a rematch of the 2012 London Olympic Games final, it was Spain’s turn to turn the tables on the USA, winning 9-6, vastly different from the USA’s 8-5 victory a year ago.

With half of Barcelona seemingly in the stands, they cheered on Jennifer Pareja and her team to what was an historic victory as Spain has never beaten USA in a major championship — drawing two and losing five.

Pareja scored her four goals in the first half as she helped her team to a 4-2 opening quarter, 5-4 at halftime and 6-5 at the final break. For more than a minute near the end the score was 8-5 ironically but that became a match-winning 9-5 and a late USA goal went in silence.

Spain will now meet Hungary in one semifinal while the other semifinal will be between Olympic bronze medallist Australia and the swift Russia.

Russia started the day’s proceedings with a 17-9 margin over Canada in which Ekaterina Prokofyeva captain Evgeniya Ivanova scored four each. Russia led 8-3 at halftime.

Australia won the second quarterfinal 9-5 over outgoing world champion Greece with goals being spread around by both teams. The Aussie Stingers led 4-2 at halftime and drew the third period 2-2.

The Hungary-Netherlands match was a statistical nightmare for the Dutch as Hungary won its 50th World Championship encounter — a record — by 11-7. Hungary led 7-1 at halftime in what was an obviously dominating display. Rita Keszthelyi scored four goals by halftime.

15th FINA World Championships 2013: Water Polo Women, Day 5: HUN 11 NED 7

POLO AIR INDONESIA, 29 July 2013, Shooting efficiency proved the killer punch as Hungary produced a stunning 7-1 opening half and finished 11-7 over Netherlands in the third quarterfinal at Bernat Picornell Pool this evening. Hungary became the second top-four team to make the semifinals after Australia earlier beat Greece.

The statistics say it all with Hungary shooting at 44 per cent with its 25 attempts. Netherlands, looking so nervous as the whistling of accurately fired yellow balls whipped past their heads on a regular basis, could manage just 21.9 percent from 32 shots. The Dutch could not say they didn’t have their chances.

Throw in another vital factor and the result spelt doom for the Dutch — Hungarian goalkeeper Flora Bolonyai made 15 saves compared with Ilse van der Meijden’s six.

The statistics keep coming. On the crucial extra-man-attack situations, Hungary converted five from eight and Netherlands two from nine.

While Hungary was hell bent on settling the result early, the Dutch were tentative and lacked punch. Why? When it came to the crunch at 9-4 down with just a quarter remaining, head coach Mauro Maugeri from Italy, must have found the light switch that shed light on the horrific situation.

Netherlands fired in three consecutive goals for 10-7, conceivably a chance of forcing the match to a draw… possibly.

The Dutch looked like the team of old with positive direction and two goals on extra. However, the dream died when Kata Menczinger scored on the deep left at 1:41. Both teams went to a timeout and that something unusual happened when van der Meijden decided she did not like being in goal and went to halfway to foul an opponent. Dora Antal said “thank you”, loaded the cannon and shot the ball down the pool into goal for 11-7 at 0:11.

In that 7-1 dash to the halftime drinks, Hungarian Rita Keszthelyi did her team proud, as she has all championship, with four goals to lift her tally to 16.
The one down point for Hungary, plus a plus for the Dutch, was the defence and almost shut-out, smothering defence of centre forward Barbara Bujka. She had hoped for some majors against her but Netherlands was determined that her threat would be nullified. Now, if only they did that to Keszthelyi!

More statistics? Sure! Hungary became the first nation to win 50 World Championship matches. Who’s second? Ironically, Netherlands with 46! The previous six meetings between the pair were decided by a one-goal margin or ended in a draw, so this was a quantum shift by comparison.

15th FINA World Championships 2013: Spain defeats Olympic champion USA to set eyes on gold medal at Barcelona 2013

POLO AIR 2013/07/29 23:09, Spain’s women’s water polo team has reached the semi-finals of the FINA World Championships for the first time in history, seeing off hot favorite and Olympic champion USA 9-6 in a memorable quarter-final at the Bernat Picornell Pool in Barcelona. It was the long-awaited revenge for the Olympic final in London. Spain’s next rival on Wednesday (21:45) is Hungary

Spain played an incredible first quarter in front of the home crowd, featuring an aggressive defense to recover the ball fast and fighting in the center positions to create dangerous attacks by team captain Jennifer Pareja. Goalkeeper Laura Ester, who played a brilliant game, explained the key to success in the mixed zone: “We came out to fight.”

Led by Pareja, who scored three goals in the first period, Spain dominated the game by the end of the first eight minutes: 4-2. At the beginning of the second quarter, Pareja added another goal to her name before the U.S. team started to fight back, scoring two fast consecutive goals. Coached by Miki Oca, the Olympic runner-up was able to take the advantage into halftime.

In the third period, with a great defense on both sides, the two teams only scored one goal each and Spain dominated the last quarter (3:1) to take home the victory on home turf as Laura López netted the 8-5. Pushed by the home crowd, Spain achieved an historic victory as they have never beaten USA in a major championship — drawing two and losing five.

“We were looking forward to this match,” said Ester. “They took away the gold medal from us in London and we did not want to go home without a medal here in Barcelona.” Her teammate Pareja has played the best game of the tournament so far. The team captain said that “the key was to play 100 percent from the first minute. We played the perfect game.”

The results of today’s quarter-finals were as follows:

Russia v. Canada: 17-9

Australia v. Greece: 9-5

Hungary v. Netherlands: 11-7