Great Britain's U19s win bronze at Senior Women’s EU Nations Cup

Great Britain’s U19 Women’s water polo team clinched bronze at the Senior Women’s EU Nations Cup event in Brno, Czechia.

The young squad of 13 won two and lost two of their four group stage matches at the ‘Za Lužánkami’ pool before defeating Slovakia 12-8 in the bronze medal match.

It was a successful weekend for Izzy Howe’s squad who impressed against a number of senior international sides as they continued their preparation for their European Championship campaign in 2024.

They got off to the best possible start with a stunning 15-6 win against Slovakia to kickstart the group stage.

After a tight opening period, Howe’s side took control before half time, putting themselves in to a comfortable 8-4 lead.

From there they never looked back with Cheltenham’s Amelie Perkins leading the line and scoring six goals as the British team put in a dominating performance.

Captain Harriet Dickens grabbed four of her own with vice-captain Amelie Cornell netting a hat trick. City of Sheffield’s Juliet Lyons and Cheltenham’s Lily Ross completed the scoring.

A narrow 11-10 defeat to hosts Czechia followed which unfortunately cost Great Britain a place in the gold medal match.

A back and forth first half saw the two sides go in level at the interval before the hosts moved into an 8-6 lead after the third quarter.

Two late Perkins goals and one from Cornell in the fourth brought Britain to within one but they fell just short despite a valiant display.

Final quarter flurry secures bronze

The British squad bounced back to start off day two with a storming 15-6 win over Wales’ Senior Women’s team.

Great Britain raced into a commanding 9-1 lead in the first half and managed the game well in the second to seal the victory.

There were another four goals for Perkins with Cornell and Lucy Blenkinship both scoring three. Dickens grabbed a brace as Lyons, Hannah Pyper and Izzy Robb also got their names on the scoresheet.

They completed the group stage with a defeat to eventual champions Sweden.

Great Britain led in the early stages but the experience of the Swedish team came through in the second half as they ran out 17-11 winners.

Dickens and Pyper scored three a piece with Amelie Brooksbank (2), Cornell, Ross and Blenkinship rounding out the team’s goal tally.

The result meant they finished third from the five-team group, setting up a bronze medal match with a resurgent Slovakia side that won back-to-back matches on day two.

Despite trailing 5-7 after three quarters, Great Britain’s quality proved too much in the end as they fired seven goals in the final period alone en route to a 12-8 victory.

Perkins added four more in the fourth quarter to take her tally to 20 that gave her the events top scorer award.  She finished level at the top of the scoring charts with Sweden’s Engla Lindman Long but was given the award for being the younger of the two players.

Her late strikes plus a final quarter double from Cornell and a last minute strike from captain Dickens fired the group to bronze and wrapped up a successful three days for the GB team.

You can find all the results from the Senior Women’s EU Nations Cup here.