Southern University Games 2005
Another year rolled around and another year of MUPolo Women’s dominance of Victorian University Water Polo. The team selected for AUG Brisbane this year got together for their first real hit-out and to ensure qualification of that tournament. Qualification was never in question however as only three teams entered and all were ensured automatic entry for Brisbane. What was on the line however was pride, and we quickly established that in the first game against Deakin.
Deakin had a couple of tricky players that the girls had to manage, but our superior speed and overall skill easily accounted for them. The final score ended up 21-3, with A. Maloney A. Gronow good contributors with a number of goals each. K. Woolley and K. Roberts were also solid and N. Brandt had an easy job in goals. Acting captain N. Brandt said after the game, “It was great fun… I always like giving Deakin a good spanking!”
Monash was the second opponent, and the team tried to use the game as a training practice with an emphasis placed on taking “smart” shots and setting up in attack. However, the lack of “defensive pressure” by Monash meant the game quickly deteriorated into a farce. It was a good opportunity for the team’s captain, V. Brown to jump into goals and showed she had lost none of her touch while representing Australia at the World Championships in Montreal. The team won 15-0 with B. Davidson having a much improved game. Coach G. Thompson demanded excellence at everything the girls did during the game, but his request to “double team while maintaining a full press” confused many.
The destruction of both Deakin and Monash meant that the team went into the final as massive favourites. So much so in fact that Monash, after beating Deakin in a tight tussle, decided a forfeit and giving up 2nd place was a better option than facing the might of MUPolo. However, some spectators the aquatic centre were disappointed that they would not see another water polo clinic dished out by the hungry Melbourne University team. The girls qualified first and ensured the best possible seeding for the tournament in Brisbane.
The team now enters an extensive training program at Australia’s elite high level training facility, PLC.
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