BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Indiana University alum Shae Fournier (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Grant Park) scored three times and current Hoosiers’ goalie Jessica Gaudreault (Sr., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada/St. Joseph) held her own in cage as Canada suffered a 12-10 loss to Spain in the semifinals of the 2017 FINA World Championship in Budapest, Hungary, at the Alfred Hajos Pool. In other action featuring a past/present Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) student-athlete, the University of Michigan’s Maddy Steere (So., Pascoe Vale, Australia/St. Catherine’s School) and Australia slipped versus Italy, 18-17, in a shootout to earn a berth in the tournament’s Seventh Place game.
Squaring off with Spain with a date against the United States in the FINA World Championship title game following a 14-9 victory by the Americans over Russia in the earlier semifinal clash, Canada fell behind 3-1 early in the first quarter to trail 4-2 going into the second frame. The margin expanded to 7-4 by halftime as Spain outscored the Canadians 3-2 in the second quarter.
Following a third quarter in which both teams tallied pairs of markers to set the scoreboard at 9-6 going into the fourth quarter, Canada was able to trim its final margin of defeat down to a pair by outscoring Spain 4-3 in the final minutes.
For Canada, Gaudreault made 11 saves to take the loss, while Fournier and Kyra Christmas led the attack with hat-tricks. Monika Eggens added a pair with Emma Wright and Kelly McKee both notching solo tallies.
The loss drops Canada into the Third Place game where the squad will face Russia at 3:00 p.m. local/9:00 a.m. Eastern on Friday, July 28.
For Steere and Australia, Italy took the Aussies down the wire by rallying back from a 9-8 third quarter deficit to knot the game at 11-all at the end of regulation. In a penalty shootout, the Italians finished seven five-meter chances to escape with an 18-17 victory and earn a spot in the tournament’s Fifth Place game.
Australia will take on Greece, which fell to Hungary by a 10-9 score, in the Seventh Place game at Noon local/6:00 a.m. Eastern on Friday, July 28.
Steere did not score in the game for Australia as the Aussies rallied back from an early 5-1 deficit in the first quarter to trail 5-3 after one quarter of play. Australia moved to within 7-6 by the close of the first half and grabbed the lead in the third quarter by outscoring Italy by a 3-1 count to go ahead prior to the Italians 3-2 comeback in the fourth quarter.
