Australia flew past Czechia for an impressive 23-10 win in its first game at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China in women’s sixes competition.
“Sixes is really exciting, it’s a new format and we have fit, fast, young girls and some older veterans who are just as fit,” said Australia goalkeeper Addie Cunnginham. “We were pushing the ball, not being scared to get up, get down, and get off. It’s good to get one hit out and see how we go tomorrow.”
Both teams brought a physical edge and intensity to a frenetic first period, when Czechia answered with three goals to stay within one at the end of the frame.
But Australia always looked for fastbreak opportunities on changes of possession, and ran its way into a decisive flurry in the second period, including four goals in two minutes, to put some distance between the Czechs.
From there, Australia kept its energy high to start the third period and scored a quick three goals, with two from Miriam Suares-Jury.
Suares-Jury and Bonnie Yu both used their speed in transition to break the game open, with Yu tallying a game-high eight points on six goals and two assists and Suares-Jury adding four goals.
Hannah Nielsen, at age 37, still helped carry her share of the Australian attacking effort with a goal and two assists, but it was an overall balanced showing with six players registering multi-goal efforts.
Australia’s physical defense forced Czechia into 12 turnovers, and the team finished with eight caused turnovers.
Cunningham also impressed in net with 12 saves on 22 shots faced. She jumpstarted the attack with six assists, emblematic of Australia’s ultra-aggressive approach to sixes, with numerous long passes over the top of Czechia’s defense.
Anna Lottmann led Czechia with five points and Isabella Keyes and Marketa Malinovska had four points each.
Australia moved to 1-0 in Pool B and will face the also undefeated United States on Friday at 10:30 a.m. Czechia will face Ireland at 1 p.m.
Gallery
I trust the young ones, and basically anyone, to catch any ball. We really want to push it when we have it, and slow break when we don’t. I just threw it once, and I knew they would get it and they scored every time, so it was pretty good.
Addie Cunningham
12 Saves, 54% save percentage, 7 assists
