2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES
The ultimate day of ladies’s motion on the 2024 Olympics was an excellent one as Spain defeated Australia to assert the nation’s gold medal in ladies’s water polo, bettering upon their silver medal efficiency from 2021. Australia, in the meantime, completed with a silver medal and made the rostrum for the primary time since 2012. The Netherlands pulled a gentle upset over the defending Olympic Champion United States to assert the bronze.
Gold Medal Match: Spain Def. Australia, 11-9
Spain got here out firing on all-cylinders on this intense match-up, making a number of pictures on web within the first minute. Nevertheless, it was really Australia who struck first with Alice Williams scoring off of a penalty on Paula Crespi Barriga, placing Australia up 1-0. Spain was unfazed by the early deficit, with Paula Leiton Arrones tying it up only some seconds later. The Spanish crew and the Australian groups every punched in extra targets earlier than the tip of the primary quarter, leading to a 2-2 tie. With Spain profitable the dash to start out the second quarter, one other Spanish purpose appeared immient. Nevertheless, the Australian crew executed glorious protection to maintain the Spanish at bay. No targets have been scored by both facet till 1:38 remained within the quarter and Maica Garcia Godoy nailed a shot off an exclusion on Tilly Kearns to carry Spain up 3-2. Although the Australian crew tried to attain a number of extra instances within the quarter, they failed to supply one other purpose.
After halftime, Spain got here out firing on all-cylinders once more, this time producing two targets. The primary of the 2 targets got here virtually instantly off of the dash as Bea Ortiz hit the web on an motion shot. Ortiz scored once more solely 30 seconds later, leading to a 5-2 benefit for Spain. Australian Abby Andrews punched in a purpose for her crew just a few seconds later, however Ortiz continued her momentum with yet one more purpose. With the rating 6-3 in favor of Spain, the Australian coaches took a time-out, which gave Williams the right alternative to seek out the web once more. Spain and Australia every scored once more within the remaining minute of the third quarter, making a 7-5 rating in favor of Spain going into the ultimate quarter of motion. Early within the 4th, Australia regarded like they could shut the hole on Spain, narrowing the margin to 1-point. Ortiz, nonetheless, had different plans, launching off one other purpose of her personal. Godoy then hit the web a couple of minutes later, giving Spain a 9-6 lead. From there, Australia by no means recovered, as Spain continued to carry that three-point lead till the ultimate 19 seconds of the sport when Williams hit the web on a last-ditch effort shot. The sport untimately resulted in a rating of 11-9 in favor of Spain, giving the crew the gold medal.
Ortiz was in the end the important thing participant for Spain within the match, choosing up 4 targets on 7 pictures. Godoy additionally had a robust displaying, punching in 3 targets of her personal. For Australia, Williams carried the crew’s taking pictures with 5 targets on 12 makes an attempt.
Ladies’s Bronze Medal Match: Netherlands Def. United States, 11-10
For the primary time since ladies’s water polo was added to the Olympic Video games in 2000, the US ladies can be leaving with out a medal because the Netherlands managed to drag off an upset in a particularly tight match-up.
Via the primary two quarters of play, it was all of the USA because the People piled on targets. Rachel Fattal netted the primary rating of the sport solely a minute into the quarter, bringing the USA up 1-0. Although Sabrina van der Sloot managed to tie the sport up 1-1, the People continued to fireplace, constructing a 3-1 lead into the ultimate seconds of the primary quarter. With 3 seconds left nonetheless, Van der Sloot hit the web off of a penalty on Emily Mary Ausmus, scoring what may need been crucial purpose of the sport to finish the quarter with a rating of 3-2. Although that purpose would possibly’ve appeared comparatively insignificant on the time, it in the end stored the Netherlands within the recreation and would possibly’ve pushed them to victory. The People opened the second quarter going 3-0 over the Netherlands, whereas holding them to just one level on offense. With the American seige seemingly slowing down on the finish of the interval, the Netherlands tried to make just a few performs. Nevertheless, they couldn’t discover the web once more, whereas Neushul netted one other purpose for the US to take them into the half with a 7-3 lead.
It was within the third interval that the Netherlands lastly received right into a grove with taking pictures. Although the US continued to attain, the Netherlands started to match each US purpose with a purpose of their very own, sustaining the 4 level margin via the vast majority of the quarter. Then, with 46 seconds left within the quarter Van der Sloot hit a serious purpose off of a counter assault, narrowing the American result in 9-6. From then on, the Netherlands dominated on offense into the 4th quarter, hitting one other purpose solely seconds into the motion. Although American Jenna Flynn added a purpose for the People, bringing the rating as much as 10-7, the Netherlands continued to struggle again, slowly narrowing the lead point-by-point. With 1:19 left to play, Bente Rogge nailed the game-tying purpose for the Netherlands. Then, with 9 seconds left within the recreation, the US turned-over possession of the ball, setting the Netherlands as much as doubtlessly rating the game-tying purpose. The coaches took a timeout to arrange the crew. Then, the ball was handed to Van der Sloot with a second left to play. Off of an motion shot, Van der Sloot discovered the web, nailing the game-winning purpose for the Netherlands to safe the bronze medal.
Van der Sloot had an enormous efficiency within the victory. Along with scoring the game-winning purpose, she scored 6 targets on 7 pictures through the recreation to supply a exceptional 86% scoring charge.
Different Ladies’s Recreation Outcomes:
- Hungary def. Italy, 15-12
- Greece def. Canada, 19-10
Ultimate Ladies’s Rankings – Elimination Rounds:
- Spain
- Australia
- Netherlands
- USA
- Hungary
- Italy
- Greece
- Canada
