The girls were pumped. Here was a game where they had a chance! The team came out strong and Lauren Keith was the first to score at the 47th second into the game, to put Australia in the lead and it took Thailand until 2m10s before they equalled the score. The game continued with Rachel Lodewijks catching a rebound shot for Australia's second goal - now it was 2-1 Australia's way. The game was on. Thailand scored then Australia scored. It was neck and neck with Australian Goalkeeper, Sonja Miskovic, striving to stop Thailand in their tracks. Lauren Keith scored 5 goals in the first half, Victoria Brunsberg scored 4 goals, Vanja Smiljanic scored 2 goals (one from a penalty) and Melissa Mellor scored a great goal from a rebound off Victoria's shot at goal. Goalkeeper Taylee Lewis stopped a Thailand shot at goal which rebounded back towards the goal which she saved yet again! Moments later she did a hat trick with the third save in a matter of seconds. It was 8-8, but then the tide started to change. We missed attempts at goal while Thailand mastered theirs and before you knew it Thailand was ahead 17-13 at half time.

The game was very physical and the Thailand goalkeeper came off injured trying to race our women to a loose ball. Australia tried to capitalise on this, but numerous attempts at goal were unsuccessful. Victoria Brunsberg was marked closely by her Thailand opponent and kept away from the action on the court leaving her with only one goal in the second half. Vanja Smiljanic contributed another 5 goals, one of them from a penalty. The young Australian women had to play tougher and they did. Every time the Thailand girls came at them they were there. It was Nina Markovic and Brianna Keyes on wing that provided strong defence that stopped the wing shots and unfortunately one Thailand player was injured in the tousle. Rachel Lodewijks and Lauren Keith both scored another goal each in the second half and Claire Dennerley scored her first World Championship goal! With Victoria Brunsberg kept out of the play by the opponent’s tactics, Vanja Smiljanic and the other girls had to step up and play differently.  However, Thailand progressively widened the score gap and the game ended with an Australian World Championship high score of 22 to Thailand's 33.

Taylee Lewis was awarded a well deserved team’s MVP (most valuable player) award for the game and it was good to see the team still kept smiling in defeat. There were ten very tired players wishing things had been different, but as the Coach, Janne Lilleeng observed, the team had good control at the beginning of the match, but "lost it a bit and weren't able to catch up".

Australia has now finished 6th in pool C and after a day of rest will compete in the President's Cup. They will travel to a new location, Cheonan, and will have their first match against the 6th team in pool D (possibly Hong Kong) on the weekend.

- Kerrie Keyes
AHF South Korean Correspondent