Brits ease past Romania at 2017 European Juniors

Great Britain’s women eased past Romania to get their 2017 European Junior Water Polo campaign back on track in Novi Sad, Serbia.

Having pushed Greece all the way in their opening match yesterday, the Brits carried momentum into their second group game, winning all four quarters in a 14-6 (4-3, 3-2, 2-0, 5-1) victory.

Lily Turner top-scored for the second consecutive game with four goals while Milly Wordley also netted four times and Sophie Jackson kept a third quarter shut out.

Romania come out firing after drubbing in opening game

Romania had been on the wrong end of a drubbing in their opening match in Serbia, falling to a 29-0 defeat against last year’s European U19 champions the Netherlands.

But the Eastern Europeans came out with all guns blazing against the Brits, keeping the deficit to one-goal at the first interval, with Turner, Wordley, Emmie-Rose Eastwood and captain Annie Clapperton scoring for GB.

Action shot from British women victory against Romania at 2017 European Juniors

They restored parity early in the second quarter, before the British women gradually began to assert their superiority.

Wordley scored her second of the game to put GB back in front. Further goals from Emily Pyper and Turner helped the Brits build a 7-5 lead at half-time.

Brits tighten grip on game in morale-boosting third

Wordley and Turner completed their hat-tricks in a morale-boosting third quarter. The British women impressed in both attack and defence to take a 9-5 lead into the last period.

Katy Cutler scored twice in the final quarter while Turner, Clapperton and Wordley also found the net as the Brits hit top gear to close out the game.

The Netherlands await in Great Britain’s final group game tomorrow. The Brits are guaranteed a spot in Wednesday’s round of 16 knock-out stage if Romania fail to beat Greece in the other Group D fixture.

British team at the 2017 European Junior Water Polo Championships

  • Sophie Jackson (City of Leeds)
  • Annie Clapperton (City of Manchester)
  • Emily Pyper (Woolton SC)
  • Lily Turner (Crawley SC)
  • Steph Whittaker (City of Manchester)
  • Molly Boniface-Ashton (City of Liverpool)
  • Katy Cutler (Salisbury Stingrays ASC)
  • Amy Potter (City of Bristol SC)
  • Emmie-Rose Eastwood (City of Manchester)
  • Robyn Greenslade (Paignton SC)
  • Lauren Dundee (Stirling)
  • Milly Wordley (Exeter Water Polo)
  • Niamh Campbell-O’Donnell (City of Manchester)
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