Courtesy: USA Water Polo
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – The USA Women’s National Team picked up their second straight win over Australia tonight, claiming an 11-4 win at the Stevenson School.
A crowded pool deck cheered on Team USA as four different players scored two goals each including Maggie Steffens (Danville, CA/Stanford/NYAC), Makenzie Fischer (Laguna Beach, CA/Stanford/SET), Stephania Haralabidis (Athens, Greece/USC/NYAC) and Rachel Fattal (Seal Beach, CA/UCLA/SOCAL). Ashleigh Johnson (Miami, FL/Princeton/NYAC) and Amanda Longan (Moorpark, CA/USC/Santa Barbara 805) combined for nine saves in net.
To watch a full replay of the match, click here. The two teams finish the series on Sunday at Santa Barbara High School in Santa Barbara, CA at 2pm pt. Retiring three-time Olympian Kami Craig will be honored during the match. To purchase tickets, click here.
Much like Sunday’s win in Berkeley, Team USA got off to a hot start and it was led by Kiley Neushul (Isla Vista, CA/Stanford/NYAC) with an early goal. Team USA built a 3-0 lead in the first but Australia battled back with two straight to make it a 3-2 match after one. That would be as close as the game would get. Team USA held Australia scoreless in the second quarter while adding three more goals to take a 6-2 lead into intermission.
Makenzie Fischer made it 7-2 in the third before Australia got back on the board with a tally. The United States scored again in the third and went to the fourth up 8-3. Ahead 10-4 in the fourth, Kaleigh Gilchrist (Newport Beach, CA/USC/NYAC) put the match to rest with a strong backhand to give the United States the 11-4 lead.
Team USA went 5/11 on power plays and 1/1 on penalties while Australia was 1/7 on power plays and did not attempt a penalty.
Scoring – Scoresheet
USA 11 (3, 3, 2, 3) M. Steffens 2, S. Haralabidis 2, R. Fattal 2, M. Fischer 2, K. Neushul 1, P. Hauschild 1, K. Gilchrist 1
AUS 4 (2, 0, 1, 1) B. Knox 1, B. Halligan 1, Z. Arancini 1, A. Ridge 1
Saves – USA – A. Johnson 6, A. Longan 3
6×5 – USA – 5/11 – AUS 1/7
Penalties – USA – 1/1 – AUS 0/0
Referees: Levon Dermendjian, Omar Bardumyan