Courtesy: USA Water Polo
El Segundo, CA – June 2 – The USA Women’s National Team wrapped up their series against Hungary with a 12-7 victory on Wednesday evening at El Segundo Aquatic Center. Maddie Musselman and Jamie Neushul led Team USA’s offense with three goals each while Ashleigh Johnson was once again a force in net recording 16 saves.
Next up the USA Women will travel to Spain for common training and then on to Athens, Greece for the FINA League Super Final (June 14-19). For more on the schedule click here. This series against Hungary, with the exception of the May 29 game, can be re-watched on the ESPN APP or by clicking here. For stats from this series visit thefosh.net.
The first quarter of this game proved to be a tight affair. Melissa Seidemann finished off a great move in set to put Team USA up 1-0. Then the USA Women increased their lead as Neushul struck for the first time. Hungary fought back by shutting down Team USA’s offense over the rest of the quarter while also scoring their first through a rocket shot from Rita Keszthelyi as Team USA took a 2-1 lead at the end of the first. To start the second quarter Hungary had a great opportunity to tie the game on a penalty shot but Johnson came up with a big save to keep Hungary off the board. Team USA’s offense then exploded for five goals in the quarter with three coming from Musselman as the USA Women raced out to a 7-3 halftime lead.
Hungary would pull a goal back to open the third quarter but the USA Women responded with three more goals with Makenzie Fischer scoring the third to push Team USA’s lead to six. Meanwhile Johnson, along with great defense from Team USA, shut down Hungary for the rest of the quarter as the USA Women increased their lead to 10-4. Hungary wouldn’t go down without a fight as they opened the fourth quarter with a goal to cut Team USA’s lead to 10-5. The teams would then exchange goals before Neushul finished off her hat trick to make it 12-6. Hungary would add a late goal but it was too little too late as the USA Women won 12-7.
Team USA went 3/9 on power plays and 1/1 on penalty shots while Hungary went 2/13 on power plays and 0/1 on penalty shots.
Scoring
USA 12 (2, 5, 3, 2) M. Musselman 3, J. Neushul 3, M. Seidemann 2, R. Fattal 2, M. Steffens 1, M. Fischer 1
HUN 7 (1, 2, 1, 3) R. Keszthelyi 2, D. Szilagyi 1, V. Valyi 1, A. Illes 1, A. Gyongyossy 1, N. Rybanska 1
Saves – USA – A. Johnson – 16 – HUN – A. Magyari – 12
6-on-5 – USA – 3/9 – HUN – 2/13
Penalties – USA – 1/1 – HUN – 0/1
Referees: Scott Voltz and Michael Goldenberg
