Santa Barbara’s Kiley Neushul, Jamie Neushul and Abbi Hill won gold medals as members of the U.S. Women’s Water Polo Team that beat host Australia in a shootout in the championship game of the FINA Intercontinental Tournament on Sunday in Perth.
The Americans prevailed 14-12, outscoring the Aussies 5-3 in the shootout after the teams played to a 9-9 tie in regulation time. Australia outscored the U.S. 3-0 in the fourth quarter to send the game into the shootout.
The Neushul sisters both scored in the shootout, and Kiley Neushul had two goals during regulation time.
Goalie Ashleigh Johnson stopped Australia’s first attempt in the shootout. Johnson and Alys Williams were named to the all-tournament team.
The title is the second straight in this event and fourth in the last five years for Team USA.
The international gold medal is the first for Hill as a member of the senior national team. She is a senior at Dos Pueblos who is headed to UCLA.