Team GB miss out on semi-final berth with battling performance (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Team GB miss out on semi-final berth with battling performance

9:46pm Sunday 5th August 2012 in Sport By Scott Kirk, Reporter

TEAM GB were a whisker away from causing a huge upset against Spain in the women’s water polo quarter final.

Alex Rutlidge from Burton-in-Kendal and Chloe Wilcox of Reagill were heavily involved in the match as Spain narrowly succeeded 9-7.

Great Britain matched Spain in the first quarter with the score at 2-2, but the second period was damaging to the home nation as Spain scored four goals to Team GB’s none, making it 6-2.

Wilcox, Britain’s top scorer in this campaign, set up Ciara Gibson-Byrne to pull one back for Britain but the Reagill lass couldn’t quite reach a through-ball midway through the third quarter with the score at 6-3 to Spain.

Two goals apiece made it 8-5 at the end of the third period.

Rutlidge, who was unlucky to miss two chances throughout the game, was wrapped up in the fourth quarter for committing three personal fouls as Team GB fought back to within one goal with two minutes 20 seconds left on the clock.

But with seconds to go, Spain scored a crushing winner to make it 9-7 and progress to the semi-final.

On Tuesday Britain will take on Russia, who they lost to by one goal in their opening game.

The winner will progress to a match that will decide which side finishes fifth and sixth, while the loser will take on the side defeated in the Italy v China game.