B52s continue winning ways as Demons overcome Rats despite Pirrottina hat-trick in latest water polo action

The third round of the Geraldton Water polo season kicked off with some disappointment on Friday, with Serpents forfeiting against B52’s in the first A grade women’s game. Demons versus Rats certainly made up for the letdown however, with an energetic Demons side winning Rats 4-3. Demons’ Olivia Higgs scored the only goal in the first quarter, despite tenacious defending from the Rats side. Abbey Pirrottina scored a hat-trick for Rats but was unable to push the game to a draw. Men’s A grade was not short of excitement as Rats lost out to the Country Week side 12-7. Kurt Tunbridge scored a hat-trick for Country Week, including a well-placed penalty in the third quarter. Rats managed to stay in the game for the first quarter and took the lead 3-2 early in the second session but the Country Week side scored five unanswered goals, leaving Rats with a mountain to climb. B52’s took on Demons in the other A-Grade match as the B52’s continued their winning streak with a 10-6 victory over the plucky Demons side. Corey Smith and Drew Tunbridge scored six goals between them for the in-form B52’s. Jack Cocking was a standout for Demons, with a first-quarter penalty followed by an open play goal in the second quarter that levelled the score but it wasn’t enough to challenge the B52’s. In B grade men’s matches, Demons rolled over a beleaguered Rats side, thrashing them 10-0. Lachy Toomath ran rings around the Rats side, scoring five goals across the game. The B52’s derby finished closer, with the Relics losing 8-6, with Leo Prout scoring four for the B52’s side. The B52’s women’s side continued the club’s winning ways with a 7-1 victory over Demons. Serpents took the win over Rats 6-3, with Jill Gamble leading her side, setting up several attacking plays and scoring in the second quarter. In men’s C Grade, B52’s White beat Rats 7-2 and B52’s Blue gave Demons a water polo lesson dishing out a humiliating 14-0 defeat. In the women’s games, Rats Orange beat B52’s 5-1, the Demons defeated Serpents 9-4 and Rats Black overcame Demons Gold 8-3. Association spokesperson Julia Gourley spoke highly of the skill shown in the round. “The game everyone stayed for was the A Grade Men Premiership winners Demons against B52’s with both sides debuting junior players, with Demons’ Tom Manuel and B52’s Matthew Chamberlain both scoring,” she said. “Goalies Craig Harrington and Drew McGregor played exceptionally, especially when you have top match players Joel Cross and Corey Smith in the pool. “Brothers Drew and Kurt Tunbridge continue to strongly emerge in the game, with Drew scoring the game’s opening goal.” Full results from round 3: Men’s A Grade Country Week def Rats 12-7 B52’s def Demons 10-6 Women’s A Grade Serpents v B52’s Serpents forfeit Demons def Rats 4-3 Men’s B Grade Demons def Rats 10-0 B52’s def B52’s Relics 8-6 Women’s B Grade Serpents def Rats 6-3 B52’s def Demons 7-1 Men’s C Grade B52’s White def Rats 7-2 B52’s Blue def Demons 14-0 Women’s C Grade Rats Black def Demons Gold 8-3 Demons Black def Serpents 9-4 Rats Orange def B52’s 5-1