IN the penultimate round of the APCO Bendigo Water Polo competition the two top teams of the senior division scored comfortable wins, with top team Couttas defeating third placed Sharks and Westpac defeating Stingrays.
Game one of the night between Couttas and Sharks resulted in a 5-2 win to the Couttas.
Several players shared the goal scoring for the Couttas, with the only multiple goal scorer being Jacob Carroll. Others to make the score sheet were Lyndsay Harrison and Nick Swan. Goal scorers for the sharks were Bruce Pridham and Nick Gates.
Game two of the night was a high-scoring affair with Westpac defeating the Stingrays 9 goals to 5. Of the eight players used by Westpac, six of them troubled the scorers by contributing goals.
Best for Westpac were David and Ian Symons, Dan Carew and Tim Carew along with Jeff Swan. Best players for the Stingrays were Viv Cossar, Rob Campbell and Paul Dullard.
In the women’s division Mermaids defeated the Dolphins 6 goals to 3 and again several players shared the goals for the Mermaids with five players on the score sheet.
Best for the Mermaids were Laura Stahl, Lily Pridham and Shai O’Brien. Best for the Dolphins were Rosie Coldwell, Bonnie Pridham and first game player Alise Drum.
With only one regular game remaining, the men’s leading goal scorer’s position looks safe with David Jansen on 33 goals. His nearest rival is Nick Gates on 26, with Bruce Pridham in third place with 23.
In the women’s division the situation looks the same with Molly Pridham way out in front on 15 goals, followed by Billie Hoiles and Rosie Coldwell on seven.
APCO Senior division ladder after seven rounds:
Couttas 20 points 133.3%, Westpac 18 126.3%, Sharks 12 92.7%, Stingrays 6 62.3%.
Draw for Thursday’s final round of the competition: 7pm Couttas vs Westpac (men); 7.45pm Dolphins vs Mermaids (women); 8.30pm Sharks vs Stingrays (men).