The USA Women’s National Team blazed into the semifinal round of the FINA World League Super Final with an 11-1 victory over Brazil earlier today. Kiley Neushul (Goleta, CA/Stanford/SBWPF) and Maggie Steffens (Danville, CA/Stanford/Diablo) scored three goals each in the win and Sami Hill (Santa Barbara, CA/UCLA/SBWPF) went the distance in net recording nine saves and allowing just one goal. Team USA advances to the semifinals where they will meet Australia on Saturday at 6pm local time/3am pacific time. The two teams met most recently in the gold medal match of the FINA Intercontinental Tournament in Riverside, CA, a 7-5 victory for the Aussies. The match will be streamed live courtesy of FINA TV and can be accessed by clicking here.
The United States started off strong as Steffens scored two of the first three goals to build a 3-0 lead. Brazil’s Chiappini stopped the run with a goal later in the first period to leave the United States ahead 3-1. From that point forward the Team USA defense would dominate, holding Brazil scoreless over the final three periods. In the second quarter Steffens, Neushul, and Makenzie Fischer (Laguna Beach, CA/Laguna Beach HS/SET) added four more goals, two from Neushul, to build a 7-1 lead at halftime.
In the third Neushul scored again and Kaleigh Gilchrist (Newport Beach, CA/USC/Trojan) added her second goal for an 9-1 lead going to the fourth. The final eight minutes saw Team USA score two more times on goals from Alys Williams (Huntington Beach, CA/UCLA/HBWPC) and Kami Craig (Santa Barbara, CA/USC/SBWPF) for an 11-1 lead and the victory. Team USA went 3/5 on power plays and 1/1 on penalties while Brazil was 1/7 on power plays and did not attempt a penalty shot.
“The team played solid defensively,” said USA Head Coach Adam Krikorian. “It’s an accomplishment anytime you can hold a team to one goal in a game.”
Scoring
USA 11 (3, 4, 2, 2) K. Neushul 3, M. Steffens 3, K. Gilchrist 2, K. Craig 1, A. Williams 1, M. Fischer 1
BRA 1 (1, 0, 0, 0)
Saves – USA – S. Hill 9
6×5 – USA – 3/5 – BRA 1/7
Penalties – USA 1/1 – BRA 0/0
Swimming News / Water Polo News courtesy of USA Water Polo.