Budapest, Hungary - July 2 - The USA
Women's National Team won the Gold Medal at the FINA World Championships with a
9-7 win over Hungary earlier today in Budapest! Maddie Musselman scored five
goals and was named MVP of the game while Ryann Neushul added three goals of
her own in the victory. Ashleigh Johnson recorded 10 saves in net on her way to
being named Top Goalkeeper of the tournament.
The USA Women have now won their
fourth straight FINA World Championship and seventh in program history, joining
titles in 2003, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2017 and 2019. Team USA has also won every
major title since 2014 including four World Championships titles, two Olympic
Gold Medals, two FINA World Cups, two Pan American Games and seven FINA World
League crowns.
Team USA saw Hungary score the first
goal of the game from Greta Gurisatti two and a half minutes into the opening
quarter. Musselman had an answer for the Americans as she converted on two
player advantages to close the quarter with a 2-1 lead. The teams split four
goals in the second quarter as Rita Keszthelyi and Gurisatti found the back of
the net for the hosts while Musselman and Maggie Steffens scored for Team USA.
The United States led at halftime, 4-3.
In the second half, Neushul opened
the scoring with a beautiful lob shot for the Americans before Gurisatti scored
on a player advantage for the Hungarians. Musselman and Neushul both found the
back of the net again to wind down the third quarter and put Team USA up 7-4
headed to the final frame. Neushul scored a third time to start the fourth
quarter and give the United States an 8-4 lead. Hungary would battle back into
this one from that point. First, Zsuzsanna Mate would convert on a player
advantage before Dorottya Szilagyi and Keszthelyi both scored to cut the
deficit to 8-7. That was as close as the hosts would get. With 49 seconds
remaining, Gurisatti was excluded with substitution and Team USA drew a penalty.
Musselman stepped up to bury the penalty shot and clinch the 9-7 win.
The United States went 3/8 on power
plays and 2/2 on penalty shots while Hungary went 3/11 on power plays with no
penalties attempted.
Scoring - Stats
USA 9 (2, 2, 3, 2) M. Musselman 5, R.
Neushul 3, M. Steffens 1
HUN 7 (1, 2, 1, 3) G. Gurisatti 3, R.
Keszthelyi 2, Z. Mate 1, D. Szilagyi 1
Saves - USA - A. Johnson 10 - HUN -
A. Magyari 7
6x5 - USA - 3/8 - HUN - 3/11
Penalties - USA - 2/2 - HUN - 0/0
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