THE Women’s Premier League recommenced on Saturday with the ladder-leading Melville Marlins and UWA City Beach Bears continuing their winning ways.

Following the break over Christmas and New Year, it was Round 8 of the Women’s Premier League on Saturday with a double-header held at Claremont Pool.

The action got underway with the undefeated Melville Marlins putting the hammer down on the Lawley’s Bakery Dolphins, winning 29-8.

In follow up to that, the UWA City Beach Bears beat Triton 9-3.

The results leave the Melville Marlins on top of the standings with a perfect 6-0 record. They sit just ahead of the UWA City Beach Bears who are 5-1.

The North Coast Phoenix are then 2-4, Triton 3-4 and Dolphins 0-7.

Zoe Arancini of the Melville Marlins is the Women’s Premier League leading scorer following eight rounds having found the inside of the net on 21 occasions.

Dayna O’Leary of the UWA City Beach Bears has 16 goals as does Lauren Martin of Melville. Another Marlins player, Madeleine Quinn has 15 goals and her teammate Glencora McGhie has scored 13.

Jess Reynolds of the North Coast Phoenix has 11 goals and Cathryn Earl of UWA City Beach 10.

Dolphins and the Marlins opened proceedings at Claremont Pool and it was Dolphins who scored first with Taylor Christie finding the inside of the goals after just 32 seconds.

Melville responded with three goals in the next three minutes courtesy of Zoe Arancini (two) and Mercedes Ralph.

Dolphins were competing hard and scored again through Katie Smith but the Marlins were just warming and had put nine goals on the board by quarter-time to lead 9-2.

Melville piled on another eight goals to one in the second quarter to lead 17-3 at half-time. It was six more goals from the Marlins in the third term but Dolphins hadn’t given up and scored three themselves.

It was another six goals to two in the fourth quarter with the Marlins running out 29-8 winners in a scoring fest.

Arancini had a day out for Melville scoring eight goals with Quinn adding five, Lauren Martin four, Ralph four, Kate Abbey-Wardale three, Brooke Pensini two and Sofie Pontre two.

Alyssa Woodward, Taylor Christie and Katie Smith all scored two goals each for Dolphins.

Arancini received the three votes, Pontre two and Quinn one.

UWA City Beach then took on Triton, with the Bears starting impressively with their team largely the same line-up that the UWA Torpedoes fielded in the opening round of the NWPL where they won four games on the road against the Adelaide Jets and Victorian Barbarians.

UWA City Beach scored the only four goals of the first quarter courtesy of Dayna O’Leary, Rebecca Liddle (two) and Cathryn Earl.

Following a scoreless second period, the Bears made it 5-0 to open the second half with another goal from Earl. Triton got on the board just before three quarter-time when Crosby Brandis scored.

They added another to start the fourth quarter with a goal to Olivia Townsend before the Bears responded through Liddle, Earl and Liddle again to lead 8-2 before winning 9-3.

Earl and Liddle both scored four goals apiece for UWA City Beach.

Liddle received the three votes afterwards, Earl two and Triton goalkeeper Natasha Liddle one.

Round 9 of the Women’s Premier League will feature a double-header at Bicton Pool on Saturday as part of a monster day of water polo action.

The Premier League fixtures pit the Melville Marlins up against the UWA City Beach Bears followed by the North Coast Phoenix playing Dolphins.

Following that will be National Water Polo League action with the Fremantle Marlins hosting the UWA Torpedoes in women’s action, before the Fremantle Mariners take on the defending premier Torpedoes in the men’s contest.

ROUND 8 WOMEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS
Lawley’s Bakery Dolphins 8 lost to Melville Marlins 29 at Claremont Pool
UWA City Beach Bears 9 beat Triton 3 at Claremont Pool