Late Rally Leaves Canada with Fourth-Place Finish

In a highly competitive game fitting of the medal round, Australia rallied for a 5-3 victory over Team Canada on Tuesday in Beijing. The win guaranteed the Aussies at least a Bronze medal, while Canada was eliminated in fourth place, the nation's highest finish in four Olympic appearances.

Nebraska Associate Head Coach Lori Sippel took Canada to unprecedented heights in Beijing, and she nearly got the Canadians to the podium as Canada led 3-2 in the fourth before the Aussies tied the game and took the lead in the sixth.

Australia used a homer in the second to take a 1-0 lead and converted a Canadian error into a 2-0 advantage in the third. Canada answered back with a two-out rally in the bottom of the frame to take a 3-2 lead. A bases-loaded walk accounted for the first run, before Allison Bradley singled to score Jennifer Salling and former Husker Sheena Lawrick, who reached on a walk.

The Aussies used another solo home run to tie the game at 3-3 in the top of the fourth.

Just as it was when the teams met in the preliminary round, the game was tied entering the sixth inning and once again, Australia rallied to take the lead for good. After the first two batters were retired, two walks and two bloop singles put the Aussies in front, 5-3.

Canada hit the ball hard but was retired in order in the sixth and again went down in order in the seventh.

Lawrick's Olympic hit streak was snapped at four, as she finished 0-for-1 with a pair of walks. Canada, which lost its final five games in Beijing, finished with a 3-5 record.