BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Following a 7-6 loss to Greece on Saturday, August 26, to drop New Zealand into an 11th Place game showdown with Argentina, Princeton University’s Charlotte Valentine (So., Orakei, New Zealand/St. Cuthbert’s College) made her return to the water at the Taipei Songshan Sports Center in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) count. She converted on two-of-three shots and collected a pair of steals as the Kiwis handled Argentina, 17-2, to dominate the 11th Place game at the 29th Summer Universiade/University Games.
Valentine, who did not appear in the loss to Greece, was among 10 players who netted tallies for New Zealand joining Grace Tobin (three), Kelsey Snelgar (two), Ema Carevic (two), Emily Nicholson (two), Caitlin Lopes da Silva (two), Evangeline Mills (one), Ricci Fergio (one), Elizabeth Gault (one) and Gabryel Olopau (one).
New Zealand never trailed in the game as the team opened up a 2-0 lead in the first quarter prior to racking up five more strikes in the second quarter to enter halftime with a commanding 7-0 scoreboard advantage. Following a 6-2 outburst in the third quarter to snag a 13-2 margin, the Kiwis closed out the contest with a 4-0 scoring spree to collect a 15-goal margin of victory.
The win concludes New Zealand’s participation in the tournament as the team finishes at 1-5-1 as the Kiwis fell to Canada by a 15-4 count on Friday, August 18, prior to taking a 14-10 loss against Japan on Sunday, August 20, and dropping a 23-3 contest against the Russian Federation on Tuesday, August 22. On Thursday, August 24, New Zealand tied the United Kingdom/Great Britain 9-9, prior to taking a 15-4 loss versus Hungary on Friday, August 25, and the defeat against Greece on August 26.
