Courtesy: USA Water Polo
Zagreb, Croatia – June 14 – The USA Men’s Junior National Team lost their opener at the U20 Word Championship, falling 19-10 to Croatia earlier today. Ryder Dodd led the team in scoring with four goals while Charles Mills and Baxter Chelsom combined for eight saves in net. Team USA is back in the pool tomorrow as they continue group play with a meeting against Hungary at 11:30am et/8:30am pt. All matches are scheduled to stream live on the World Aquatics YouTube. Live statistics will be available for every match from MicroPlus Timing Services.
Croatia opened the scoring with a tally at the 5:22 mark but Dodd immediately tied the game on the next possession delivering on a penalty shot score. The two sides would trade goals until Croatia hit for two in a row to build a 4-2 edge with 1:39 to play. William Schneider kept Team USA afloat scoring two of the next three goals to make it a 5-4 game with less than a minute to go in the opening quarter. Croatia had the last word, scoring with :25 on the clock to build a two-goal lead going to the second quarter.
Team USA came out strong to open the second quarter as Peter Castillo hit on a power play followed by a Ryan Ohl goal in close for a 6-6 game roughly two minutes into the period. The lowest scoring quarter of the match stayed quiet on the offensive end until the 2:08 mark when the host country broke through with an extra man goal for a 7-6 lead. They added another power play goal a minute later to go in front 8-6 at halftime.
Croatia took control of this match in the third, outscoring Team USA 6-1. They opened the period with three unanswered goals to increase their lead to five at 11-6. Dodd stopped the bleeding with a tally but Croatia went right back to work scoring three more goals in the quarter to go ahead 14-7 with one period left to play. Dodd hit on a penalty shot to make it 15-8 with 6:44 to play in the game but the United States would get no closer. Croatia added five goals in the fourth to surge to the nine-goal victory.
Team USA went 4/11 on power plays and 2/2 on penalties while Croatia went 6/8 on power plays and 2/2 on penalties.
Scoring – Stats
USA 10 (4, 2, 1, 3) R. Dodd 4, P. Castillo 2, W. Schneider 2, R. Ohl 1. B. Brinkema 1
CRO 19 (6, 2, 6, 5) A. Jerkovic 5, V. Pavlic 4,V. Toncinic 3, M. Susic 3, G. Burburan 2, A. Fajkovic 1, K. Dragosevic 1
Saves – USA – C. Mills 7, B. Chelsom 1 – CRO – M. Cubranic 8
6×5 – USA – 4/11 – CRO – 6/8
Penalties – USA – 2/2 – CRO – 2/2
