Water Polo Summer Slam: Under-20s medal matches, live stream (WPA Summer Slam)

New South Wales Blues made it two gold medals from two grand finals in the Water Polo Australia Summer Slam. Check out the replays here.

Madissyn Powells and Will Valentine. Picture: John Gass

NSW dominated the final day of the Water Polo Australia Under 20 Summer Slam in Brisbane.

The Blues took home two titles after winning both the men’s and women’s events.

Re-live all the action below with our replays and match reports.

REPLAYS AND MATCH REPORTS BELOW

U20 MEN (Gold Medal Game) - NSW Blues 14 def Youth Barbarians 8

New South Wales Blues made it two gold medals from two finals when the men’s 20s beat Youth Barbarians 14-8 this afternoon.

The Youth Barbarians put up one hell of an effort to push NSW Blues to the brink in the men’s decider.

NSW were the runaway favourites entering the gold medal game, but the Youth Barbarians obviously didn’t read the form guide.

After a neck and neck first half, NSW worked hard for a 10-5 lead before BaBa’s cut the margin to 11-8 midway through the last quarter.

NSW were a hard side to hold for an entire match, and with Tristain Glanznig and Andrej Grgurevic getting their hands on the ball, the Blues’ potent offensive game rolled more smoothly in the third quarter.

But the Barbarians had invested too much effort into the match to roll over and back they came, rallying in the fourth quarter to give themselves a chance.

NSW senior player Joel Smith said the side had high expectations and it was great to get the result.

“Overall the game went our way, but it was tough,’’ Smith said.

“They were strong, 04 players and a couple of years younger than us, but we got them in the last half.’’

Smith said NSW were a united side after coming up through the age groups together.

“We have been training together for a couple of years, we get around each other and it is never a negative experience around the team.’’

NSW’s Andrej Grgurevic was the MVP across the men’s competition.

U20 Women (Gold Medal Game) - NSW Blues 8 def QLD Maroon 6

New South Wales Blues defended its way to the women’s under 20 gold medal in a gripping grand final against Queensland.

NSW won 8-6, inching toward the winner’s podium with goals from Lucy Gillis and Jade Vinson either side of the three quarter time break.

“We built over the few days after not starting off the tournament that well, and every game we just got better and better,’’ said the outstanding NSW player Sienna Hearn.

Hearn said defence was a key to winning the decider. “We just wanted to make sure we had control of our defence and see what happens in attack, but we didn’t want to rush anything.’’

Queensland led for all but a few seconds in the first half, but by midway through the third quarter NSW had nudged its way to 7-6 after a brilliant scoring effort by Macy Hansford and a tidy finish by Lucy Gillis.

It was game on from the opening whistle.

NSW came hard early and Queensland goalkeeper Eve Gath was required to repel her rivals.

Matilda Elliott opened the scoring for Queensland with a powerful shot from centre before the NSW response came courtesy of Gillis.

Sienna Green displayed grand final desperation to run down Queensland’s Alice Campbell, but not long after Campbell won a penalty for her side which Tenealle Fasala converted.

It was 4-all at halftime, with Queensland’s Campbell scoring from a fast break and Kate Blew launching a thunderbolt, while for NSW, Hearn converted a penalty and Macy Hansford scored to make it 4-all.

U20 Women (Bronze Medal Final) - Youth Barbarians Green 12 def Youth Barbarians Gold 7

The Youth Barbarians Green side claimed the women’s bronze medal with a desperate 12-7 win over the Youth Barbarians Gold outfit.

After a free flowing first half, both teams slugged it out in the true tradition of a final.

The last quarter, indeed the second half, was gripping stuff, up and down the pool action, as both team’s strived for the advantage after a first half goal splurge.

Goalkeeper Tori Kininmonth (BaBa’s Green) produced a magnificent one-on-one save five minutes from the end while Gold goalie Horita Schlect stood up to a series of backhand shots by Taafili Taoso to defend her goals.

With an extended right arm Kininmonth then saved a shot from her club mate from Mermaid’s Chelsea Johnson.

Then finally, with just over one minute remaining, Zoe Thomas broke a scoreless fourth quarter with the match sealing goal.

U20 Men (Bronze Medal Final) - QLD Maroon 20 def Victoria 8

A 10 minute Queensland blitz paved the way to delivering the young Maroons a bronze medal.

Queensland beat a gallant Victoria 20-8 in a game that was basically won and lost in the opening third of the clash.

With Maroons centre back Marcus Berehulak sensational in the opening minutes, Queensland led 8-nil into the second quarter before Victoria’s Alex Le Maistre registered his team on the score sheet.

Towering Berehulak looked ready for business as he powered goals No.2, No.3 and No.4 beyond the grasp of the Victorian goalkeeper.

When Victoria’s players did catch their breath, they matched it with their rivals and the Vic’s tenacity in the face of an 8-nil scoreline should be noted.

“We are very excited to come away with the bronze medal,’’ said Berehulak.

He said Queensland coach Aleksandr Osadchuk told the side to “play your game, play your role’’.

U20 Men (5th/6th play-off) - ACT/TAS 12 def NSW Waratahs 4

ACT-Tasmania grabbed the first win on finals’ day at the under 20 Summer Slam with a fifth-sixth play-off victory by 12-4 over the tenacious NSW Waratahs.

An early hattrick to ACT-Tasmania’s Matt Wilson gave his side a fly-start. The composite side led 5-1 into the second quarter after Wilson’s haul was complemented by goals to team mates Hunter Wright and Caleb Neill.

The Waratahs settled into their groove to peg back ACT-Tasmania’s lead to 6-3 at halftime, but ACT-Tas had more polish at the business end.

ACT-Tasmania coach Matt Turnbull was proud of the way his players dug deep.

“They gelled so quickly. They dug deep in long games and we did not have a deep bench,’’ Turnbull said. “So it was about digging deep in those games.’’

U20 Women - NSW Blues 14 def Barbarians Gold 4

Wow. What a first half performance as the New South Wales Blues swept the Barbarians Gold side out of the water on their way to winning 14-4 and qualifying for Thursday’s grand final against Queensland Maroons.

The Blues imperious 16 minute surge across the first and second quarters of this afternoon’s semi-final was comprehensive as NSW established a 9-nil lead.

Sienna Hearn was a colossus and her five first half goals reflected her dominance. She later added a sixth goal in the third quarter.

Her sidekick Sienna Green (five goals) scored three in the first half as the NSW team unit worked the passes around before unleashing their scoring big guns.

Blues keeper Jasmine Higgs also played her role in the first half clean sheet.

The Barbarians Gold side took just 45 seconds to score first in the second half when Sydney Poor scored, and to the Barbarians’ credit the players rallied to only lose the second half 5-4.

U20 Women - Youth Barbarians Green 10 v QLD Maroons 7

The Queensland Maroons are safely into the women’s under 20 gold medal grand final after a hard fought 10-7 win over Youth Barbarians Green.

A 7-1 scoring surge across the first and second quarter was pivotal to the Queensland effort, which included a 3-nil second quarter shutout.

Centre forward Tenealle Fasala was a constant threat but Queensland provided multi-prong threats through Matilda Elliott, traditional goal sneak Kate Blew, Georgia De Stefani and the athletic Alice Campbell.

Campbell scored a nice goal after Phoebe Leech had created space for her with a cross pool switch pass.

Complementing Queensland’s offence in this period was keeper Eve Gath who saved a thunderbolt from Barbarians’ Finn Magill, and then a shot early in the second half from Anneliese Pamp.

The Barbarians’ recovery gathered momentum after halftime, but a Kate Blew special gave Queensland more respite on the scoreboard, with the Maroons leading 8-4.

Fasala’s imposing presence resulted in another goal and that burst of scoring, aided by Gath’s performance in the goals, handed Queensland a 9-4 break entering the final quarter.

Campbell’s second goal three minutes into the last quarter must have hurt Barbarians, with all their effort unable to peg Queensland back on the scoreboard.

U20 Women - SA/TAS 8 def ACT 5

A dislocated shoulder to ACT’s Ellie Negline soured a magnificent second plate semi-final won by Tasmania-South Australia 8-5.

Negline, an outstanding player for her side and a frequent goal scorer, displaced her right shoulder in the third quarter.

She was treated within 20 minutes of her injury by two Queensland Ambulance officers who arrived by push bike.

At the time the score was 4-all and it was even right up until about five minutes from fulltime until three successive goals — by Isabelle Walls, Alyssa Woolley and Tayla Dawkins — pushed Tasmania-South Australia ahead 8-5.

A magnificent save by Tasmanian-South Australian goalkeeper Alyssa West was one of the highlights early in the third quarter when ACT looked to extend its narrow lead.

Both teams featured great desperation which must have warmed the hearts of the respective coaches who were looking for effort on effort.

ACT, through goals by Kobi Toomath, Ellie Negline (two) and Cara Murray lead 4-3 by halftime, but into the third quarter and it was 4-all when Tayla Dawkins converted a penalty for Tasmania-South Australia.

U20 Women - Victoria 12 def NSW Waratahs 10

Two penalty goals in 30 seconds were the difference as Victoria defeated NSW Waratahs 12-10 in the first of the plate semi-finals.

Vic’s pair Saskia Richardson and Tara Logan scored the penalty goals with less than three minutes remaining to turn a 10-all scoreline into a 12-10 lead.

It is a pity the focus was on NSW Waratahs keeper Flyn Moss not defending those two shots because Moss kept her side in the match with two sensational saves at 7-all and 10-all.

Victoria were hit with a Blue wall early as the NSW Waratahs skimmed to a 4-1 break before the big V girls worked their way to 6-all by halftime.

Richardson (Victoria) and Sam Henderson (NSW Waratahs) both converted penalty shots in this period as girls’ from both teams shared the ball around, not relying on one individual to find the back of the goals.

The teams continued to go toe-for-toe into the second half, with one scoring.

That was until, with two and a half minutes remaining, Richardson nailed the first of two penalty shots waved toward Victoria.

U20 Men (QF) - Qld Maroon 8 drew with Youth Barbarians 8

Queensland Maroon will walk a tightrope to qualify for Thursday’s Water Polo Australia Summer Slam grand final after a sensational draw against Youth Barbarians.

The 8-8 draw result means the team which conceded least goals by the end of Wednesday’s day 3 round robin will make the gold medal playoff against NSW Blues.

Queensland’s place in the final is under threat following a 20-3 morning loss to NSW Blues.

But the Youth Barbarians must now face the music against hot favourites NSW on Wednesday.

The Barbarians peppered Maroon goalie Noah Bright early but it was Queensland who finished the first quarter leading 3-1 after Marcus Berehulak, Jack Fodor and Joshua Eyles scored.

Berehulak then added a second goal in a 1-1 second quarter and a third and a fourth goal in the third quarter, but there was not a struck match between the two sides.

Will Valentine’s penalty goal in the fourth quarter lifted his side to a 7-5, but it was still anyone’s game when Max Churchyard responded for Barbarians to make it 7-6.

U20 Men (QF) - NSW Blues 20 def Barbarians Green 7

NSW will play in Thursday’s gold medal match after a bumper day two effort.

After accounting for Queensland Maroons 20-3 earlier in the day, NSW Blues tutned on the style against Barbarians Green.

Tournament favorites by the width of the Brisbane River, NSW were potent all over the pool, but none were more dangerous or skilful than Andrej Grgurevic.

Drew McJannett scored five goals against the Barbarians and it would be easier to break into the Swiss Bank than get past NSW goalkeeper Laurence Barker

It was a tough learning environment for the Barbarians, but there were some nice individual and team mini victories, including third quarter goals by Flynn Coolican and Harper Stewart and a fourth quarter scores by Ben Taylor and Nelson Hockings.

And rather than cave in, the BaBas rallied in the last quarter to match their rivals on the scoreboard.

U20 Men (QF) - ACT/TAS 13 def NSW Waratahs 8

A last quarter bullet by Joshua Wylie and two goals in quick succession from Caleb Neill helped elevate ACT-Tasmania marginally above NSW Waratahs.

ACT-Tasmania won 13-8, having recovered from NSW storming back to turn a 6-1 deficit into a one-point match at one stage.

The turning point came just on three quarter time when Caleb Neill scored two goals within 20 seconds — the second after a back field mix-up by the Waratahs.

Those goals and a Wylie special immediately in the fourth quarter gave ACT-Tasmania breathing space at 11-7 after NSW had closed to trail just 8-7.

Matt Wilson scored four goals, Hunter Wright and Neill both scored three goals for the ACT-Tasmania.

U20 Men (Group A) - Youth Barbarians 16 def Victoria 7

The Youth Barbarians continue to position nicely for a surge toward a medal with a comprehensive win over Victoria.

The Barbarians put their foot to the floor to burst away from the Vics mid-match before coming to rest with a 16-7 victory.

Vics had high hopes after coming off a draw with the NSW Waratahs, and were level-pegging early.

But five goals late in the second quarter elevated Barbarians to a 10-3 — and a down payment on victory.

Thomas Rathbone was a polished finisher in this crucial period, and finished with five goals while Koby Gilchrist scored three goals.

Victoria’s Filip Milovanovic produced one of the goals of the match with a stylish left arm effort, while teammate Alex Le Maistre displayed plenty of fight to score his goal.

U20 Men (Group A) - NSW Blues 20 def QLD Maroon 3

The NSW Blues delivered a hammer blow to the competition with an emphatic 20-3 victory over Queensland Maroon in the under 20 men’s competition.

It started as a match befitting the gold medal game after a close first quarter, but when NSW got rolling, there was no stopping them.

Andrej Grgurevic scored five goals, his sidekick Tristan Glanznig four and Kai Young three as the Blues generated an avalanche.

Queensland and all other teams now have a huge job trying to reel in the Blues when the finals come around.

A 2-1 first quarter was highlighted by saves from goalkeepers Laurence Barker (NSW) and Noah Bright (Queensland).

But when Glanznig and Grgurevic added goals, it was 6-1 to NSW.

Marcus Berehulak scored three goals for Queensland.

U20 Men (Group B) - ACT/TAS 17 def Barbarians Green 9

The ACT-Tasmania Composite side produced a seven goal third quarter surge while also implementing a defensive shutout to sink Barbarians Green in game No.2 at Musgrave Park.

ACT-Tasmania won 17-9 as six goals rained down in the third quarter.

The interstate side turned a 9-7 advantage into a match-winning 15-7 break entering the last period of play.

But just as importantly was the pressure ACT-Tasmania put on their rivals when Barbarians surged into the attacking zone.

It was even (5-all) at quarter time and 9-7 to the composite side at halftime after Hunter Wright (twice), Joshua Wylie, Jamie Sharman and Matt Wilson had put ACT-Tasmania ahead at the long break.

U20 Men (Group B) - Victoria 10 NSW Waratahs 10 (draw)

Victoria’s Tyson Mutsch ensured he would make the under 20 Summer Slam highlights reel with a goal from halfway in a sensational start to day two of men’s competition.

The Victoria v NSW Waratahs finished in an exciting 10-all draw, but the highlight came early courtesy of Mutsch’s performance.

With two seconds left in the first quarter, and with the words of a team mate — “shot, shot’’ — ringing in his ears, Mutsch released a right handed thunderbolt which skidded to beat the NSW Waratahs goalkeeper.

Mutsch then disappeared under the water to contemplate his deed before returning to the surface to be greeted by a sea of smiles from team mates.

Victoria skipped away to lead 5-1 at the first quarter break, but a five-goal second quarter rally saw NSW Waratahs close the gap to 5-6.

Victoria led 10-9 entering the last quarter, but a NSW goal tied things up.

Both goalkeepers, Victoria’s Pacey Dunstan and NSW Waratahs Angus McClellan, were superb in defending the opposition scoring zone.

NSW could have led or been level with Victoria by halftime had it not been for the razor sharp reflexes of Dunstan.

U20 Women (Group B) - ACT 10 def NSW Waratahs 6

Sarah Purcell had a day out as the ACT claimed an exciting border battle classic 10-6 over NSW Waratahs.

Purcell scored five goals by three quarter time, with the best goal coming in the third quarter when, from near halfway, she launched a shot low and hard that went in.

But after leading 9-5, ACT players watched as NSW scored two quick goals at the start of the fourth quarter to bring life to the game.

Purcell’s long range effort for ACT was almost matched by teammate Cara Murray, and both goals were needed as the ACT tried to break free of the shadow cast by NSW players.

U20 Women (Group B) - Youth Barbarians Gold 12 def QLD Maroon 8

The Youth Barbarians Gold outfit produced some magic to upset Queensland Maroons 12-8 .

In a stunning second quarter surge, the Barbarians Gold turned the tables on their rivals to lead 8-4 and held a four point advantage, 10-6, by the three quarter time break.

Successive goals to Chelsea Johnson, Lulu Elliott, Mary Comiskey and Amelia Watt in the second term had swung the Barbarians to a four goal lead.

Queensland had plenty of work to do to arrest momentum which was flowing against them, and although they scored either side of the halftime break, Barbarians were still in a winning position entering the final quarter.

There was a big moment six minutes from fulltime when Johnson, who had earlier scored a goal and created one for Lulu Elliott, scored from a penalty to elevate Barbarians to a 11-6 advantage.

U20 Women (Group A) - Victoria 8 def TAS/SA 6

Victoria broke through with a heart-stopping win over a big-hearted Tasmania-South Australia composite side.

The Vics won 8-6 but its players were forced to man the pumps late as Tasmania-South Australia closed to within two goals.

Victoria had led 4-2 at halftime after a Karly Flahive double, and then 7-3 but the Tasmania-South Australian outfit came at them thick and fast.

Poppy Phillips added a second goal into the second half to help Victoria to 6-3, and then it was 7-3 when Lucinda Haig found the target through two pairs of hands.

But Tasmania-South Australia fought back hard.

U20 Women (Group A) - Youth Barbarians Green draw 7-all with NSW Blues

NSW Blues goalie Jasmine Higgs was the hero despite her team drawing 7-all with a gutsy Youth Barbarians Green side.

Higgs saved three goals in the closing stages to prevent her team stumbling into defeat after leading 4-1 in the first quarter.

Barbarians Lily Garrick, Louisa Downes and Anneliese Pump all fired off shots which Hicks brilliantly saved.

The Barbarians had a morale victory but the players probably felt they should have won despite Sienna Hearn’s three goal effort for NSW Blues.

After goals by Barbarians Taafili Taoso (two), Pump and Layla Smith (two) it was 5-all, and then the side went ahead when Smith scored from a distance.

Jade Vinson got NSW back to 6-all with one of the goals of the day - a low, long, crisp shot into the left hand corner of the posts.

U20 Women (Group B) - QLD Maroons 12 def NSW Waratahs 2

Queensland won a battle royale 12-2 over the New South Wales Waratahs.

Don’t let the scoreline fool you, because for three quarters this was a real drag ‘em down scrap with lots of off the ball action.

Inch by inch Queensland managed to piece together more scoring chances despite the attention of their dogged rivals.

Kate Blew and Georgia De Stefania were first quarter scores for Queensland before Charley Porter successfully converted a penalty shot to make 2-1.

Slow, but surely Queensland threaded its way to victory, with a dynamic Blew goal in the third quarter elevating her side to 7-1.

Cosi Winter then added her team’s eighth goal in the shadows of the third quarter break - followed by an Alice Campbell goal - and Queensland had finally blown the game wide open leading 9-1.

U20 Women (Group B) - Youth Barbarians Gold 20 def ACT 4

The Youth Barbarians Gold team shared the goals around on its way to an 20-4 victory over ACT.

The Barbarians Gold outfit had seven different scorers through scoring its first 10 goals.

It was a daunting task for the ACT side who were under the blow torch from the opening whistle, especially when Barbarians Gold centre back Chelsea Johnson scored twice early followed by another goal from Lulu Elliott.

With Australian youth representative Amelia Watt’s contribution and Molly Nasser’s last arm set-ups, the Gold Babas were never going to drop their standards.

For the ACT Ellie Negline got on the score sheet for her side early, while Cara Murray produced a booming long distance goal on an angle.

The match continued the progression of North Brisbane Polo Bears junior Claudia Czerniswski who was invited into the Barbarians Gold under 20s side after playing in the under 18 tournament last week.

U20 Women (Group A) - NSW Blues 8 def TAS/SA 5

Sienna Hearn shone as the NSW Blues survived a fright to beat the Tasmanian/South Australian composite side 8-5.

The combined Tasmanian-South Australian side turned a 5-nil deficit into a third and fourth quarter dogfight.

Helped by outstanding goalkeeping by the composite team’s No.1 Alyssia West, Tasmania-South Australian stayed in touch and then outscored their rivals 5-3 in the fourth quarter.

Hearn’s fifth goal lifted her NSW Blues to a three goal lead after the composite side had sliced their rivals’ advantage to two goals for most of the fourth quarter.

U20 Women (Group A) - Youth Barbarians Green 14 def Victoria 3

Lousia Downes scored four times while Lily Garrick and Taafili Taoso both grabbed doubles as the Youth Barbarians Green side drew first blood in the under 20 women’s Summer Series.

The Barbarians Green outfit won 14-3, scoring four goals in each of the opening three quarters to set up the win.

Victoria scored first (Saskia Richardson) and last (Lucinda Haig) but struggled to penetrate their opposition’s defence and goalkeeper Tori Kininmonth.

To Victoria’s credit they rallied to a 2-3 last quarter effort.

Mermaids’ junior Downes scored her team’s first goal followed by a classy lob by Anneliese Pamp and then two goals to inform St Rita’s prospect Garrick.

The Barbarian scoring effort was helped by astute passing from Abigale Houston and later the creative Taafili.

Originally published as Water Polo Summer Slam: Under-20s medal matches, live stream (WPA Summer Slam)