Total-waterpolo-blog-logo-238×48Total-waterpolo-blog-logo-52×48Total-waterpolo-blog-logo-238×48Total-waterpolo-blog-logo-238×48
  • News
  • SUKNO U15 CAMP – MALTA 2023
  • SHOP NOW
  • LIVESCORE
    • 2023 FINA Men’s Water Polo World Cup
    • LEN Champions League 2022/23
    • Budva Masters 2023
    • Sunčana Kapica
    • HaBaWaBa Spain Plus
    • Alpe Waterpolo League
    • Nordic League
      • Nordic league 2022/23
      • Nordic League 2021/22
      • Nordic Women’s League 2022
    • GERMANY
    • AUSTRIA 🇦🇹
      • Bundesliga Women
      • Bundesliga Men
      • Supercup
      • Cup
      • Regionalliga Ost
      • U-21 Women
      • U-19
      • U-17
      • U-15
      • U-13
      • U-12
      • U-11
    • SLOVENIA 🇸🇮
      • Slovenian championship 2022/23
      • Slovenian Cup 2022/23
    • FINLAND 🇫🇮
      • Championship
      • U-13
      • U-15
      • U-17
    • AUSTRALIA 🇦🇺
      • Sydney Super League 2.0 Men
      • Sydney Super League 2.0 Women
    • ROMANIA 🇷🇴
      • Superliga Națională – Romanian Water Polo League 2022/23
      • Superliga Națională
    • ICELAND 🇮🇸
      • Winter League Men 2021
      • Winter League Women 2021
    • LITHUANIA 🇱🇹
      • Championships
      • Nordic Junior CH U17
      • Nordic Junior CH U15
    • Total Waterpolo Trophy U-15
    • RWL
      • Premier League 21/22
      • A1 League 21/22
  • National
    • Spain
    • Hungary
    • Italy
    • France
    • Germany
    • Netherlands
  • International
    • Tokyo 2020 Olympic Water Polo
    • World Championships
      • Budapest 2022 Men
      • Budapest 2022 Women
      • FINA World Men’s Junior Championships Prague 2021
      • Gwangju 2019
      • Budapest 2017
    • European Championships
      • Split 2022 – M
      • Split 2022 – W
      • Budapest 2020
      • Barcelona 2018
    • Other
      • World League – Belgrade 2019
      • World Cup – Berlin 2018
      • Junior WC Prague 2021
      • Junior EC Podgorica 2022
      • Montenegro Cup 2022 (U16)
  • LEN Champions League
    • LEN Champions League 2022/23
    • LEN Champions League 2019/2020
    • LEN Champions League 2018/2019
  • Total Player Award
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
✕

Australian Water Polo – UNSW West Killer Whales Make History

May 6, 2018
Australian Water Polo - UNSW West Killer Whales Make History

Photo: Water Polo Australia

After the men’s finals, Water Polo Australia brings news of women’s OVO Australian Waterpolo League.

UNSW West Killer Whales today made history when they clenched the 2018 OVO Australian Waterpolo League championship trophy after a 5-4 win over Sydney Uni Lions. After claiming the minor premiership title this season, the Killer Whales capped off a big year for the Club taking their first ever national league title.

While the Killer Whales came into the Finals Series hot favorites, they knew they were going to have to dig deep to defeat the reigning champions Sydney Uni Lions.

While both sides were on a goal shooting spree early Lions were leading 4-3 at the end of the quarter, both sides delivered a strong defense to keep the game low scoring throughout the remainder of the match.

It wasn’t until the third quarter that dual Olympian Ash Southern scored for the Killer Whales and locked scores at 4-4 heading into the final quarter. With under three minutes to go scores remained locked, but then a great shot from Killer Whales Co-Captain Daisy Carter gave her side the win and the trophy.

“It’s an amazing feeling. Seeing all these girls here supporting us who’ve been at the Club previously and didn’t get as lucky as us to be here, it’s an awesome feeling,” said Carter.

“A win like that, against a team like that it’s amazing. It’s such a good feeling to know we all came together to beat a quality team like Sydney Uni Lions,” she said.

Rio Olympian and Killer Whales Co-Captain Lea Yanitsas secured her third straight championships title, this time with her new (or old team) the Killer Whales.

Previously forming part of the winning Sydney Uni Lions team, Yanitsas this year returned to her first Club, UNSW Wests and today proved invaluable in goals.

“We felt high stress, high energy out there. Games like that… it’s exactly why you want to play finals. We were really pumped,” said Yanitsas.

“Our girls played the best defensive game we’ve played all season. I’m not sure what the stats were but we had amazing blocks on balls and just kept going, kept going, kept going,” she said.

For Killer Whales Head Coach Tim Hamill, this day has been a long time coming for the Club.

“The Club, the committee, the players… everyone at the Club has worked really hard for this and I couldn’t be happier for our team. This is one very proud coach,” said Hamill.

“We made a few changes a few years ago, which the girls decided to do. They decided what they wanted to be moving forward as a Club and as a team. We’ve defended really well all year. We’ve got Lea (Yanitsas) in goals, excellent center-backs, and good blocking positions. I wasn’t too worried about defense coming into this game.

“But obviously scoring goals is a big one. So we made a small change with our center forward movement and some more mobile attacking plays which really paid off for us and ultimately made a difference in the end,” he said.

The Killer Whales took gold ahead of the Sydney Uni Lions (silver) and Fremantle Marlins (bronze).

OVO Australian Water Polo League Awards – Women

Debbie Watson Medal – Most Valuable Player (Season) – Elle Armit (Drummoyne Devils)

Pat Jones Medal – Most Valuable Player (Final Series) – Ash Southern (UNSW Wests Killer Whales)

2018 AWL All-Star Team Women

  • Elle Armit (Drummoyne Devils)
  • Bronwyn Knox (QLD Breakers)
  • Keesja Gofers (Sydney University Lions)
  • Ash Southern (UNSW Wests)
  • Erin Redbond (Fremantle Marlins)
  • Kiara Holden (ACU Cronulla Sharks)
  • Rachel Fattall (Hunter Hurricanes)

OVO AWL Finals Series Officials:

Matt Martin, Dragan Bakic, David Geerie, Nicola Johnson, Andrew Carney, Adam Richardson, Daniel Bartels, Daniel Flahive, Nick Hodgers

John Whitehouse Medal – best referee in the AWL Final series – Nicola Johnson

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more water polo news across the world!

TW Press
TW Press

Related posts

Photo: Polo Aquático Brasil

April 17, 2022

EC Pinheiros Women are Champions of Brazil with victory over Flamengo


Read more
March 1, 2022

Portugal’s help in developing water polo in Mozambique


Read more
Young water polo player in Ghana

Young water polo player in Ghana

February 24, 2021

Water polo in Ghana


Read more

Featured Projects

Learn More

Learn More

Custom Team Gear

LEARN MORE

Shop Now

Looking for something?

✕
  • Favorites demonstrate power – seven big wins
  • Jug dethrones Novi Beograd to set up Croatian final in Belgrade
  • Euro Cup Final: Ferencvaros take narrow lead into second leg
  • A must win for UVSE – Euro Cup Final 1st leg Preview
  • New World Aquatics rules: There are no more ties; 3-year waiting after changing nationality
  • Home
  • Water Polo News
  • WearWaterpolo Shop
  • Contact Us
  • Project Superstar – TW Camp
  • BIWPA
  • Custom Team Equipment
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
© 2021 Total Waterpolo. All Rights Reserved.
Total Waterpolo Arena