Whatever the Australian national women's water polo team has done at the 2012 Summer Olympics, the Aussies haven't done it the easy way.
For the third time in as many games in the medal rounds of the Olympic tournament, Australia was forced to play overtime, but after coming up short against the United States in the semifinals, the Australians came through on Thursday to capture the bronze medal on the strength of four goals from Gemma Beadsworth, including two in overtime to lead Australia to a 13-11 win over Hungary. Rita Kesztheyli had a hat trick for the Hungarians, who concluded a strong performance in London but couldn't come up with the victory.
The Australians opened the scoring with a bounce shot from Nicola Zagame. Hungary answered in short order with a goal by Rita Kesztheyli. The tie didn't last long, though, as Beadsworth zipped an extra-attacker shot past goalkeeper Flora Bolonyai to restore the lead. That concluded the scoring for the first period.
Ash Southern opened the scoring in the second quarter when she collected a rebound on the left side and quickly threw it into the lower right corner of the net. Australia was hit with an exclusion on the next possession, though, and Rita Dravucz made good on the opportunity to cut the Australian lead back to one. Southern had more to say, however, as she buried a five-meter penalty shot to make it 4-2. Australia continued to pour on the pressure, as Holly Lincoln-Smith connected on a long shot that just floated across the goal line to make it a three-goal lead. Barbara Bujka stopped the bleeding with a no-look backhand that stunned goalkeeper Alicia McCormack, but Hungary committed another foul on the next possession that allowed Beadsworth to score her second goal of the match. Rowie Webster continued the onslaught with her first score of the day, giving Australia its biggest lead yet at 7-3. Kesztheyli scored her second of the day on the right side to make it 7-4, but Hungary couldn't come any closer before halftime.
Hungary made a substitution in goal just before half, but Edina Gangl wasn't any more successful than Bolonyai when Webster scored her second goal. Barbara Bujka drew a penalty shot, which Gabriella Szucs buried to make it 8-5. Dravucz followed in short order to make it 8-6, continuing the comeback bid for Hungary. Gangl stepped up to save a shot by Australian captain Kate Gynther, and Dora Csabai connected during an exclusion to bring Hungary back within one. Lincoln-Smith looked to created distance with her second goal of the day, but Bujka added her second on a penalty shot to keep Hungary in striking distance. Jane Moran scored with eight seconds left in the quarter to push the lead back to two, but the third quarter clearly belonged to the Hungarians.
Fatigued after going to extra time in both the quarterfinals and semifinals, Australia looked to close things out to start the fourth quarter as Gynther found the net for the first time on the day. Kesztheyli completed the hat trick from four meters, though, and Szucs scored with 1:24 left to bring Hungary back within one. Szucs looked to tie on a power play, but the ball clanged off the crossbar, and another shot was saved by Alicia McCormack with seconds to go. A mental error struck, though, as McCormack let the ball sit, and Dora Antal pounced, tossing the ball in the goal to tie it up with one second left, and the teams went to overtime with the score tied at 11.
Playing their third overtime in as many matches, the Australians kept calm, and Beadsworth completed her hat trick to put the Aussies on top at 12-11. That goal was the only score of the first extra session, as Hungary could not score with the power play.
The second overtime went in similar fashion, with Beadsworth scoring one more time to ice the game, putting the finishing touch on Australia's second consecutive bronze medal in women's water polo.
