
By Ottawa Sportspage
Local water polo players Bogdan Djerkovic (above) and Jessica Gaudreault came up big in the most crucial matches to help the Canadian men’s and women’s teams earn a berth in the FINA World League Super Final.
With 4 berths in the Super Final at stake, the Canadian women fell behind 3-0 early in their Inter-Continental Cup quarterfinal match with Japan, but goalkeeper Gaudreault (Capital Wave) locked it down from there as her team sprinted ahead 8-4 after 3 quarters.
Djerkovic (Ottawa Titans) scored twice in the Canadian men’s decisive quarter-final contest with China, an 11-10 nail-biter.
The men’s team wound up taking the Inter-continental bronze medal, while the women were 3rd.
The men’s team also includes several past Titans players from Gatineau: Dusan Aleksic, David Lapins and Aleksa Gardijan. They will compete in the World League Super Final from June 18-23 in Serbia.
Capital Wave coach Rodrigo Rojas (men’s manager, Youth Pan American Championships & Junior World Championships) will also don the maple leaf abroad this summer.
Back at home, the Nepean Sportsplex will welcome the National Championship League Eastern Conference Championships from Apr. 26-28 (16-and-under boys and girls) and May 3-5 (19U men and women). All currently 3rd in their conference standings, the highest-rated local sides are Capital Wave blue (19U women), Golden Titans A (19U men) and the Titans 16U boys.
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