Kiwis in solid first hit-out after 18 months

In their first match of the FINA Water Polo World League Women's Intercontinental Tournament, the New Zealand women have given the Canadain national side a good attempt at West Wave. The first quarter was strong for the Kiwis, where they executed an energetic 6 on 5 that let Sarah Landry slot one in the back of the net to open the scoring. Canada bounced back to level the scores and then snuck another past the arms of Brooke Millar in the dying moments of the first quarter. Nerves were apparent in the second quarter as the New Zealand play slipped allowing Canada to convert five unanswered goals to take the lead 1-7 at halftime.

New Zealand coach Attila Biro with the wise words during a time-out

The Kiwis broke their goal drought in the third and manged to score three to Canada's four, courtesy of Sarah Landry (2) and Jasmine Myles. The score sat at 4-11 with eight minutes left to play. The 8-goal deficit remained in the final quarter as the two teams went goal for goal. Jasmine Myles managed to put another two goals next to her name, one from 6 on 5 and another from range that bounced off the bar and past the goal line. But it was the debutant who made her mark in her first ever women's international game; 17-year-old Liana Dance scored a counter goal to the applaud of the home crowd at West Wave Aquatic Centre. "I was terrified I would miss, but absolutely stoked when it went it." said Dance. Final score 7-15 to Canada. Sarah Landry and her North Harbour teammate Jasmine Myles led the attack for New Zealand - both scoring a hat-trick. "It was the best feeling in the world, at that moment my hard work had paid off." said Landry. "It will be a different story in the next games but we are all excited to play the Aussies and then Japan." New Zealand coach Attlia Biro was pleased with his team's first international since Barcelona World Championships in 2013. "We tried to reach their level but it's our first test after 1.5 years. It’s not too bad." said Biro.

GOAL SCORERS: Sarah Landry (3), Jasmine Myles (3), Liana Dance (1). The New Zealand women will play Australia tomorrow and then Japan on Thursday; both games at 7:30pm.