Russia and United States of America remain undefeated after three days of competition with Spain, Australia and Croatia hot on their heels.
Overview
Russia met little resistance against Turkiye before winning 3-0; USA kept Greece scoreless in the first two sets in its 3-0 victor; Spain managed one-goal wins in each of the three sets to better Australia 3-0 and Croatia finished with a 5-0 flourish in downing South Africa 3-0.
Match Reports
Match 09, RUSSIA 3 TURKIYE 0 (7-2, 9-4, 8-0)
Russia scored a third consecutive win to stay top of the ladder, showing all its class. Olga Lupinogina bookended the first set as Russia romped to a 7-2 advantage, using four different scorers with doubles to Lupinogina, Ekaterina Prokofyeva and Veronika Vakhitova. Elvira Yermakova and captain Dilara Burali, both on penalty, were Turkiye’s scorers. The second set was equally strong for Russia while Elizaveta Ivanova struck twice for Turkiye before Kubra Kus and Yermakova on penalty at 1:04 kept within striking distance. Mariia Makarova scored her third at 0:50; Yermakova missed a penalty attempt and Lupinogina accepted a pass to the left for 9-4. Lupinogina started the third set and Makarova scored on extra and counter for 3-0. Turkiye went to a timeout at 3:43 to no avail. Turkiye squandered a penalty chance, bouncing it off the left wood and Russia countered for 4-0. Another Russian goal came from in front off a cross-pass on the drive. A second Turkish penalty attempt failed and Russia countered with the goals mounting to 8-0 until 0:43 when the mercy rule came into play.
Match Heroes
Lupinogina and Makarova finished with six apiece; Elvina Sitdikova hit five and Prokofyeva four as Russia swept the pool. Yermakova and Ivanova netted twice each for Turkiye.
Stats Don’t Lie
Russia squared away all four extra chances while Turkiye missed one of two. Russia nailed both penalty shots and Turkiye scored two of three. Russia had the shots at 31-21. Russia scored six on counter to none.
Match 10, AUSTRALIA 0 SPAIN 3 (1-2, 3-4, 2-3)
In the closest match of the tournament so far, only 15 goals were scored and each set decided by a single goal, one with a golden goal. Australia came in undefeated and was expected to do well. However, Spain triumphed for a second win. Alba Munoz began proceedings on extra with Queralt Bertran adding a second on the next Spanish attack. Both defences were resolute and Australia could only break through at 0:18 through Isabella Sayer with a sweeping shot from centre forward. Come the second set, Isabel Piralkova converted a penalty foul at 2:48 and Aussie captain Olivia Mitchell replied on extra at 2:21 for 1-1. Carlota Penalver scored from the right wing and Saskia Dunn converted extra from the top for 2-2 at 1:17. Bertran broke the deadlock on extra at 0:23 with Pippa Pedley putting away the bonus penalty shot for 3-3 at 0:13. The set ended as a draw, thus requiring a golden goal. Spain won the swim-up and Munoz spun at the left wing to sneak the ball past the goalkeeper in the bottom corner to claim the set. Paula Camus scored on extra in the third period with Jolie Marsden equalising at 3:12. Piralkova was quick to regain the lead while Mitchell equalised with the bonus penalty shot at 2:21. Australia’s last hope for a fourth set was snuffed out as Penalver went on counter at 0:36. Pedley missed with a five-metre shot; Australia called a timeout and the resulting shot from Mitchell bounced into the right post, leaving Spain the victor.
Match Heroes
Bertran, Penalver, Munoz and Piralkova scored twice each for Spain. Mitchell was the only double scorer for Australia.
Stats Don’t Lie
Spain netted all three extra goals and Australia only two from five. Spain nailed its penalty chance and Australia missed one of two. Spain took the overall shots 21-15.
Match 11, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 3 GREECE 0 (4-0, 7-0, 6-3)
USA made it two from three with a withering assault on the Greek goal, keeping the Europeans scoreless until the third set. Rachel Fattal and Ryann Neushul had USA up 2-0 in the first minute. Neushul scored the third on extra and Jenna Flynn the fourth at 1:35. Anastasia Bikou, after two five-metre shots unsuccessful, also drew a blank at the penalty line at 0:29. Raney netted the first three goals of the second set with Neushul scoring on penalty. Flynn added the next two and Neushul claimed her third to close out the second set. Neushul scored four of the first five as Bikou finally made the breakthrough at 3:05. She scored again on extra at 1:22 for 5-2. Greece missed a bonus penalty shot and it was Maria Liodaki who converted extra for 5-3 behind. Neushul made sure of victory with the winner on the buzzer.
Match Heroes
Neushul was outstanding with eight goals and Flynn four for USA. Bikou scored twice for Greece.
Stats Don’t Lie
USA converted all three extra fouls and stopped three of five. Greece missed the only two penalty fouls awarded and USA shot 26 to 20.
Match 12, CROATIA 3 SOUTH AFRICA 0 (4-1, 8-3, 5-0)
Croatia notched its second victory with a comfortable outing against South Africa. There was an early 1-1 draw but at 2:30, Neli Jankovic converted a penalty foul and Alka Lulic boosted it to 3-1 and 4-1 by 0:30. The second set had Croatia 3-0 up with Jankovic scoring all three, two on counter. Lulic netted two of the next three and Karla Popovic pushed it out to 6-1 by 2:07. South Africa’s Emma Davies hit the post on her counter, retrieved and scored for 6-1. Jankovic countered again and Popovic followed up for 8-2. Popovic had her penalty attempt saved and Bulelwa Mzimela earned South Africa’s third at 0:43, the final score. In the third set, Nika Alamat scored a pair with Popovic chiming in for her second. Lulic converted extra and missed a penalty attempt before Magdalena Butic had her penalty shot also saved by Oluchi McMurray — her seventh in all. Lulic blasted in a five-metre goal for to wrap up the set at 5-0 and the match at 3-0.
Match Heroes
Lulic fired home six goals and Jankovic five for Croatia. Danya Thompson netted twice for South Africa.
Stats Don’t Lie
Croatia converted all three extra chances to none from one; made just one from on penalty; shot 29 to 21. On counter, Croatia scored five to two.
Progress Points
Russia 9, USA 9, Spain 6, Australia 6, Croatia 6, Greece 0, Turkiye 0, South Africa 0.
Day 4 Schedule
Match 13. 12:20. Russia v Spain
Match 14. 14:00, Australia v Turkiye
Match 15. 15:40. South Africa v United States of America
Match 16. 17:20. Croatia v Greece