Olivia Hompe scored a free position in triple overtime to win England bronze again at the Women’s World Championship with an 8-7 victory.
England had earlier led by three, but a Hannah Nielsen goal with 73 seconds to play took the game into overtime, and a repeat of the 2017 bronze medal match, with Hompe then scoring the golden goal winner after over 11 minutes of extra time to secure the medal.
Australia had outshot England 34-22 in the match but Brittany Read’s performance in goal for England was the difference in keeping England in it before Hompe sank the winner.
Read was inspired in goal, making 13 saves, including three in overtime, and picked up both the match MVP award and All-World team honours.
In scenes reminiscent of 2017, it was an uncharacteristically mild and wet morning in Towson as the two teams repeated their bronze medal match-up from 2017 following defeats in the semi-finals on Thursday.
England took the initial lead early on, Megan Whittle twice hitting the crossbar, before Tilly Shires bullied her way in to open the game scoring.
However, from then on it was Australia in the ascendency in the first quarter, Theo Kwas scoring a double of free positions after Georgia Latch had levelled the score.
Coach Collier called a timeout at 1-3 and his side regrouped and settled back in, going back to their dependables, Megan Whittle driving from the top to pull one back before Hompe got her first to tie things up at the ¼ time.
After a frantic first, the game became much more attritional in the second quarter and set the tone for the rest of the match.
It was scoreless until the last two minutes when a yellow card for Australia’s Stephanie McNamara gave England a player-up opportunity on which they capitalised.
First, Hompe used expert vision to pick out Emily Gray to score from a tight angle, before Hompe was then the recipient of a bullet feed from Southorn as she ghosted between two defenders for a quick-stick finish and a 5-3 half time lead.
Q3 continued in the same fashion, a quiet start, before a Read save on the doorstep quickly followed a break up-field and Whittle finished the move giving England a three-goal lead midway through the quarter.
Kwas did then bring up her hat-trick for the Aussies but England went into the final quarter leading 6-4 after a solid, long defensive set and were just 15 minutes away from a repeat bronze.
However, it would prove to not be that simple as Australia made a 4th quarter surge that changed the complexion of the match.
Latch and Nielsen both beat Read to tie the game at 6-6 and require a response from England, which duly came as Hompe put the side back ahead with a nice leftie finish.
Read then made a save from a Latch free position, and England transitioned into the attacking zone with 5:44 to go and set about running down the clock.
The plan worked for over three minutes, taking the clock below 2:00 to play before Australia finally did turn the ball over and went on the attack.
A couple of shots went wide before Nielsen found space inside and scored with a diving effort to bring the score to 7-7.
There was still time for one final chance - and it looked like Claire Faram had won it on the buzzer with a quick-stick shot from Hompe’s feed but she was adjudged a crease violation and the match headed into overtime.
Neither side managed a shot on goal in the first OT period, but in 2OT, Read saved again from Lane on the free position before Southorn almost won it for England beating the goalie but seeing her shot cannon back off the post, followed again by another Read save.
Then finally in 3OT, Kwas had the best look for Australia, Read denying her powerful drive and shot from the top before England’s golden moment finally came.
Hompe was fouled under pressure and set up on the wide hash, took one step and sidearmed a powerful shot low through Evans in net for her fourth and most important of the game, sparking scenes of jubilation as England repeated their bronze medal success.
England Points: Olivia Hompe (4G 1A), Megan Whittle (2G), Tilly Shires (1G), Emily Gray (1G), Georgie Southorn (1A), Ruby Smith (1A), Laura Merrifield (1A)
Australia Points: Theo Kwas (3G), Hannah Nielsen (2G), Georgia Latch (2G), Sarah Mollison (1A), Rebecca Lane (1A)
