2016 RIO OLYMPIC GAMES
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Swimming: August 6-13
- Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Barra Olympic Park, Rio de Janeiro
- Prelims – 9:00 a.m/12:00 p.m PST/EST (1:00 p.m local), Finals – 6:00 p.m/9:00 p.m PST/EST (10:00 p.m local)
- Schedule & Results
The U.S. Olympic Women’s Water Polo Team continued to steamroll its way through pool play on Saturday, downing Hungary 11-6 to finish 3-0 to lead group B and earn a spot in the quarterfinals. Maggie Steffens led Team USA with four goals, while goalkeeper Ashleigh Johnson earned nine saves.
Steffens opened the scoring 92 seconds into the first period on a center shot. Hungary’s Gabriella Szucs evened the score with 5:15 to play, but Steffens added another for the U.S. 12 seconds later. Barbara Bujka scored for Hungary with 4:29 left, and the teams ended the first quarter tied 2-2.
The Americans blew open the match in the second period, outscoring the Hungarians 5-1. Kiley Neushul put the first one in the net for the U.S. at 6:55 on the clock. Dora Czigany tied the game at 3-3 with 6:26 left. From there Team USA scored four unanswered goals: Steffens and Maddie Musselman both scored on power plays, then Kaleigh Gilchrist added one with just over a minute left to play, and Musselman notched her second with :04 to go. The teams headed off at halftime with the U.S. leading 7-3.
Dora Antal opened the third quarter with a goal for Hungary with 4:39 left in the period. The only other goal came in the last 2 seconds when Steffens picked up her fourth goal on a power play.
Hungary scored two in a row (from Rita Keszthelyi and Szucs) in the first three and a half minutes of the fourth quarter, narrowing the U.S. lead to two points, 8-6. Courtney Mathewson stopped Hungary’s momentum, though, with a goal at 3:53 left to play. Musselman followed with a penalty at 3:07 on the clock, and suddenly it was 10-6 in favor of the Americans. Mathewson scored one last time with 2:16 to go and the U.S. sealed their victory at 11-6.
Head coach Adam Krikorian said after the match that he expects the play to get more physical in the elimination rounds. “That’s what we need to be ready for. I’d be shocked if teams don’t come out and play physical with us. Everyone’s looking for an edge and trying to find a way to gain an advantage.”
The United States moves on to the quarterfinal match against Brazil on Monday, August 15.
Scoring – Scoresheet
USA 11 (2, 5, 1, 3) M. Steffens 4, M. Musselman 3, C. Mathewson 2, K. Neushul 1, K. Gilchrist 1
HUN 6 (2, 1, 1, 2) G. Szucs 2, B. Bujka 1, D. Czigany 1, D. Antal 1, R. Keszthelyi 1
Saves – USA – A. Johnson 9 – HUN – O. Kaso 9
6×5 – USA – 3/9 – HUN – 0/4
Penalties – USA – 1/1 – HUN – 0/0
Hope they did it.