By Ian Hanson<\/p>\n
SYDNE, April 27. THE Sydney University Lions successfully defended their Australian National Water Polo League premiership with a thrilling 2-0 victory over the Fremantle Mariners in today\u2019s grand final tie-breaker at the Sydney Aquatic Centre.<\/p>\n
The Lions went to a 1-0 lead early in the second-half with a goal to emerging star Sam McGregor after the scores were locked at nil-all at half-time.<\/p>\n
Australian captain Nathan Thomas put the result beyond doubt when he rammed home a four-metre penalty with just three seconds remaining on the clock.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day the minor premiers won game two 16-6 to level the series at one-game all after the Mariners won game one 14-13 on Saturday night, despite having a player sent off for the match.<\/p>\n
It was a sweet occasion for Thomas, who won his first title after 13 seasons in the National League and in his first season with Sydney University.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have played in seven finals series with Wests and today was the first one I have won,\u201d said Thomas, who leaves in two weeks to lead the Australian Open Men\u2019s Team on a tour of the USA and Russia.<\/p>\n
\u201cSydney University have been fantastic to me and it\u2019s now full steam ahead for the World Championships in Barcelona and he Athens Olympics next year,\u201d Thomas said.<\/p>\n
It was a big day for McGregor, who played a staring role in today\u2019s opening grand final game, scoring three goals and the opening goal in the tie breaker.<\/p>\n
\u201cSam is a super young talent who rose to the occasion in the grand final series, I think he\u2019s got a very bright future,\u201d said Thomas.<\/p>\n
Sydney University\u2019s Australian vice-captain Thomas Whalan was named as the most valuable player of the finals series with Mariners James Stanton the most valuable goal keeper.<\/p>\n
Mariners goal scoring machine Andrei Kovalenko \u2013 who scored 105 goals in the season \u2013 was named the season\u2019s most value player.<\/p>\n
Kovalenko became the first player in National League history to score 100 goals in a season.<\/p>\n
The bronze medal went to the Balmain Tigers who defeated the KFC Queensland Breakers 8-7 to win their series 2 games to nil.<\/p>\n
The National Inter-club women\u2019s grand-final went to Cronulla, which defeated the Balmain Tigers 3-2, while City Beach won the bronze medal.<\/p>\n
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL WATER POLO LEAGUE \u2013 Grand Final day, Sydney Aquatic Centre:<\/p>\n
BRONZE MEDAL PLAY-OFF, GAME TWO (after the Balmain Tigers defeated the KFC Queensland Breakers 10-7 in game one): BALMAIN TIGERS 8 (D Semmens 4, T Hamill 3, G Woods) KFC QUEENSLAND BREAKERS 7 (C Corbin 3, G Griffith 2, D Will, J Boyd). Balmain won 2-0.<\/p>\n
GOLD MEDAL PLAY-OFF, GAME TWO (after Fremantle defeated Sydney University Lions 14-13 in game one): SYDNEY UNIVERSITY LIONS 16 (S McGregor 3, R Maitland 3, T Franklin 2, R Owen-Jones 2, T Whalan 2, D Marsden, N Thomas, A Visch, J Moar)
\nFREMANTLE MARINERS 6 (C Dolley 2, A Kovalenko 2, J Neesham, T Cleland)<\/p>\n
TIE-BREAKER: SYDNEY UNIVERSITY LIONS (S McGregor, N Thomas) d FREMANTLE MARINERS 0.<\/p>\n
NATIONAL WATER POLO LEAGUE AWARDS<\/p>\n
SEASON
\nMOST VALUABLE PLAYER:Andrei Kovalenko (Fremantle Mariners)<\/p>\n
MOST VALUABLE GOALKEEPER: Jamie Smyth (KFC Queensland Breakers)<\/p>\n
ALL STAR TEAM: Jamie Smyth (KFC Queensland Breakers), Andrei Kovalenko (Fremantle Mariners), Dean Semmens (Balmain Tigers), Sean Boyd (Brisbane Sirromet Barracudas), Trent Birkett (Canberra\/Hobart Dolphins), Jozsef Balczer (Perth Torpedoes), Adam Richardson (Brisbane Sirromet Barracudas).<\/p>\n
FINALS
\nMOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Thomas Whalan (Sydney University Lions).<\/p>\n
MOST VALUABLE GOALKEEPER: James Stanton (Fremantle Mariners)<\/p>\n
HIGHEST GOAL SCORER: Andrei Kovalenko (10 goals)<\/p>\n
500 NATIONAL WATER POLO LEAGUE GOALS: Daniel Marsden (Sydney University)<\/p>\n
200 NATIONAL WATER POLO LEAGUE MATCHES: Trent Birkett, John Fox, Alan Taylor.<\/p>\n
150 NATIONAL WATER POLO LEAGUE MATCHES: Nathan Portlock, Paul Oberman, Don Jon Ricci, Andrew Suttle, Simon Asher, Rod Owen-Jones.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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