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FINA WC Day 13 - Women's Water Polo Gold & Bronze Medal Matches

Jul 25, 2003

Match 47, Women 20:30, 25.07.03 CANADA 7 RUSSIA 9 Bronze Medal, for 3rd & 4th placings
Quarters: 2-2, 3-2, 0-2, 2-3

Referees: Massimiliano Caputi (ITA), Aaron Chaney (USA)

CANADA: Whynter Lamarre, Rachel Kiddell, Marianne Illing, Susan Gardiner (1), Andrea Dewar, Marie-Luc Arpin (1), Cora Lee Campbell (1), Melissa Collins, Ann Dow, Jana Salat (1), Valerie Dionne (3), Christienne Bardecki, Johanne Begin
Coach: Pat Oaten.

RUSSIA: Valentina Voronisova, Natalia Shepelina (1), Ekaterina Salimova (2), Sofia Konoukh (1), Elena Smurova (1), Galina Zlotnikova, Anastassia Zoubkova, Veronika Linkova, Tatiana Petrova, Olga Turova (2), Ekaterina Shishova, Svetlana Bogdanova (2), Maria Iaina
Coach: Yury Mitianin.

Russia won the bronze medal, gaining two goals on Canadian errors late in the game and a penalty goal from a tactical, illegal timeout by Canada. The first period saw Russia take the lead but Canada shadowed. In the second quarter Jana Salat sent Canada 3-2 up but it was time for Russia to shadow. When Cora Campbell took Canada 4-3 up at 4:18 in the second quarter, it was the first goal on extra. Olga Turova scored her 18th goal on extra at 0:48 but 26 seconds later Valerie Dionne shot from the top and had the ball deflected twice by the defence en route to the goal. Ekaterina Salimova opened the third on extra with her second goal for 5-5. Elena Smurova found the smallest gap in the bottom right on extra 14 seconds from the end of the third for a critical 6-5 lead. At 5:27 of the fourth period Dionne struck again from the top for 6-6. She repeated the dose for her third goal from the same position at 3:11. Svetlana Bogdanova made the most of a Canadian defensive error to drive down the right and level the game at 1:55. Russia took a timeout at 1:14 but did not score within the exclusion period. However, Canada left the player deep and Natalia Shepelina took an easy goal at 0:51. Canada couldn't convert after a timeout inside the final minute so coach Pat Oaten called a tactical, illegal timeout. Turova scored the penalty goal with six seconds left, gifting Russia its first medal of any colour at the World Championships.

Match 48, Women 22:00, 25.07.03 ITALY 6 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 8 Gold medal, for 1st & 2nd placings
Quarters: 2-1, 1-2, 1-3, 2-2


ITALY: Francesca Conti, Martina Miceli (3), Carmela Allucci, Silvia Bosurgi, Erika Lava, Manuela Zanchi, Tania Di Mario, Cinzia Ragusa, Giusy Malato (2), Alexandra Araujo, Maddalena Musumeci, Melania Greco (1), Noemi Toth
Coach: Pierluigi Formiconi.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Nicolle Payne, Heather Petri, Ericka Lorenz (4), Brenda Villa, Ellen Estes (3), Natalie Golda, Margaret Dingeldein, Jacqueline Frank, Heather Moody, Robin Beauregard (1), Amber Stachowski, Gabrielle Domanic, Thalia Munro
Coach: Guy Baker.

The United States of America became the fifth champion in six editions of the event when it beat Italy, mainly due to a 3-1 third quarter and the firepower of Ericka Lorenz and Ellen Estes. Martina Miceli lobbed on the third attack to start the scoring. Ericka Lorenz punished a player down from the top. Melania Greco scored from the same position for Italy at 0:51. Then Lorenz struck twice, the first on extra and the second on deep right-hand catch, just keeping her body high and taking her time with the successful shot. Miceli scored on extra soon after for 3-3 and the rest of the quarter was physical with few shots on target. USA gained an extra at the start of the third period and Ellen Estes accepted a cross pass to the near post for a 4-3 lead. Just 39 seconds later she was on the scoresheet again with a backhand from centre forward. Italy took a timeout and Giusy Malato scored off the near post but crowd celebration was extinguished when Estes scored her third from two metres 18 seconds later for 6-4. Coach Guy Baker ran a timeout tactic at 1:16 but no goal, as happened with the huge counter for Italy. Miceli had the Italians happy, scoring from the top in the first minute of the fourth quarter but the next attack had the USA ahead by two again through Robin Beauregard from the top. Italy committed an offensive and the reliable Lorenz netted her fourth for 8-5 at 4:25. Italian coach Pierluigi Formiconi gained a yellow card and the Italian tactics changed, leaving a "seagull" upfield. Brenda Villa was ejected and Italy went to a timeout. USA goalkeeper Jacqueline Frank saved the shot and the USA gained an exclusion but no goal eventuated. Villa went again and Malato converted from the top at 1:22 for 8-6 down. The final USA timeout di not reap another goal.

Final Womens Water Polo Rankings
10 GER
11 JPN
12 BRA
13 KAZ
14 VEN
15 FRA
16 GBR