USA Women’s Water Polo Leads the Way in Goals En Route to Pan Am Games Gold

Pan American Games – Women’s Water Polo

• August 4-10, 2019
• Lima, Peru
• Tournament Central
• Results
• Time: UTC-5 (1 hour behind ET)

The United States women secured their fifth straight Pan American Games title, downing Canada for the gold with help from the top goal-scoring effort, both team-wise and individually.

Canada punched its ticket to the 2020 Olympics by virtue of making the final as the Americans had already earned their Olympic berth by taking the gold medal at the Super League Final.

Brazil rounded out the podium with a bronze medal victory over Cuba.

Final Standings

1. USA
2. Canada
3. Brazil
4. Cuba
5. Puerto Rico
6. Mexico
7. Venezuela
8. Peru

Statistical Leaders

The gold medalists from the United States were the top goal scoring team with 142 scores, followed by Canada (120), Cuba (65), Mexico (58) and Brazil (57).

The Americans were the most efficient goal scoring team as well, making good on 67.3 percent of their shot attempts (142/211). Canada was next, converting at a 52.4 percent rate (120/229). Cuba (43 percent), Brazil (34.8 percent) and Mexico (30.2 percent) followed.

The United States’ Stephanie Haralabidis led the competition with 22 goals and an 81.5 percent scoring efficiency (22/27). Fellow American Makenzie Fischer followed with 21 goals, while Cuba’s Mayelin Bernal Villa and Canada’s Axelle Crevier added 18 apiece. Canadians Shae Fournier and Emma Wright each put in 17 goals to round out the Top 5.

Haralabidis (81.5 percent) and Makenzie Fischer (80.8 percent) led all players in scoring efficiency. Teammates Maggie Steffens (77.8 percent) and Alys Williams (75 percent) and Crevier (69.2 percent) followed.

Makenzie Fischer made a tournament-best eight extra-player goals (8 of 8), while Canada’s Joelle Bekhazi was 6 for 6. Bernal Villa led the way in penalties, putting in 5 of 7, while Puerto Rico’s Paola Medina Montero added four (of 5).

Haralabidis scored 17 of her 22 goals in action shot situations (on 21 attempts), while Makenzie Fischer converted 12 of her 17 action shots. Seidemann was tops in center shot goals with 7 (of 10), while four players registered six center shot scores.

In terms of goal defense, Cuba’s Mairelis Zunzunegui led all goalkeepers in saves with 67. Brazil’s Victoria Chamorro (50) and American Ashleigh Johnson (48) followed.

American Ashleigh Johnson was tops in terms of efficiency in goal, saving 70.6 percent of the shots she faced (48 of 68). Zunzunegui was next with 47.9 percent (67/140), while Chamorro was third with 45 percent (50/111).

NOTE: American Makenzie Fischer saw action in goal in just one game, but saved all five of the shots she faced (5/5, 100 percent), while sister and countrywoman Aria Fischer saved 2 of 3 (66.7 percent).