OVO AWL Round 6 Preview – WA Teams

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FOLLOWING a break after the second derbies of the 2020 OVO Australian Water Polo League season, the two West Australian teams are back in action this week for a New South Wales road trip against the Balmain Tigers and the University of NSW.

Prior to the break for the OVO AWL competition mid-season, both Fremantle and the UWA Torpedoes played out derbies back in Round 5 at HBF Stadium.

Things got underway with the women’s clash which saw the Fremantle Marlins beat the Torpedoes 11-10 in a heart stopping contest. Dayna O’Leary scored four goals for the Torpedoes, Pippa Pedley two, Madi Rigo two and Kim Johnson two.

In the end, Sarah Siepker scored four goals for the Marlins, Luci Marsh two and Zoe Arancini two.

And then in the men’s contest, the Fremantle Mariners also prevailed 15-9 against the Torpedoes. Pol Barbena Triola scored four times for Fremantle with Joel Swift and James Fannon scoring three goals apiece, and Harry Bruce two. Albert Llovera Castillo and Nick Hughes scored twice each for UWA.

What that meant for the Marlins and the Torpedoes in the women’s competition for 2020 was that Fremantle remains near the top of the standings in third position with an impressive 7-3 record and plus-27 goal differential.

Despite the impressive performance against Fremantle, it has been tough going for UWA again in 2020 to date with just the two wins to show for their efforts from 10 games, and a minus-46 goal differential.

Meanwhile in the men’s competition, the Mariners remain the trendsetters in the league to date this season having won nine of the 10 matches to date and with a dominant goal differential of plus-49.

The Torpedoes have improved greatly this season too to be well within finals contention with five wins and five losses, and only a minus-seven goal difference.

Now both WA teams face tricky NSW road trips this week as the competition resumes in the run home into the finals.

Across Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Saturday, both Fremantle and UWA will be playing two games apiece against the University of NSW and the Balmain Tigers.

First up for Fremantle is UNSW on Thursday night. On the women’s side with the Killer Whales currently sitting in fourth position with a 6-2 record so that should be a fascinating women’s match to begin proceedings.

Meanwhile, the men’s contest should be a beauty with the Magpies having won seven of their eight matches to date so the loser on Thursday night will be tasting defeat for just the second time so far in 2020.

The other Thursday night battle pits the Balmain Tigers against the UWA Torpedoes. The women’s Balmain team is currently in fifth position in the standings with five wins and three losses.

Then on the men’s side, Balmain have so far won four of their eight matches so they come up against a Torpedoes team also having won 50 per cent of their matches to date setting up a fascinating battle.

Things then rotate on Friday night with the Wests Killer Whales and Magpies taking on the Torpedoes while the Fremantle Marlins and Mariners play the Balmain Tigers.

Saturday afternoon then sees Fremantle wrap things up against UNSW Wests while UWA plays Balmain once more.

The road trip then concludes for both teams on Sunday morning with the Marlins and Mariners again playing Balmain while the Torpedoes will be up against the Killer Whales and Magpies.

OVO AUSTRALIAN WATER POLO LEAGUE 2020

ROUND 6 (AWST)
Thursday
UNSW Wests Killer Whales/Magpies v Fremantle Marlins/Mariners – Women: 4.00pm, Men: 5.30pm (UNSW Fitness and Aquatic Centre)
UTS Balmain Tigers v UWA Torpedoes – Women: 4.00pm, Men: 5.30pm (Auburn Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre)

Friday
UTS Balmain Tigers v Fremantle Marlins/Mariners – Women: 4.00pm, Men: 5.30pm (Auburn Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre)
UNSW Wests Killer Whales/Magpies v UWA Torpedoes – Women: 4.00pm, Men: 5.30pm (UNSW Fitness and Aquatic Centre)

Saturday
UNSW Wests Killer Whales/Magpies v Fremantle Marlins/Mariners – Women: 2.00pm, Men: 3.30pm (UNSW Fitness and Aquatic Centre)
UTS Balmain Tigers v UWA Torpedoes – Women: 11.30am, Men: 1.00pm (Auburn Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre)

Sunday
UTS Balmain Tigers v Fremantle Marlins/Mariners – Women: 8.00am, Men: 6.30am (Pymble Ladies College)
UNSW Wests Killer Whales/Magpies v UWA Torpedoes – Women: 9.30am, Men: 11.00am (UNSW Fitness and Aquatic Centre)

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