Lucy Haaland-Ford, a San Marcos alumnus, scored four goals in the second half to help push the USA Women’s Water Polo Junior National Team to a 16-15 win over Spain for the gold medal at the World Aquatics U20 World Championships in Salvador, Brazil on Saturday.
The junior world title is fifth for U.S. Women’s Water Polo but the first since 2015.
Charlotte Raisin, a senior at San Marcos, tallied a pair of goals in the wild game.
Haaland-Ford, an incoming freshman at Stanford, was named the player of the match. Her four goals led the team. Emily Ausmus, who scored two goals in the final, was honored as the tournament MVP.
Team USA finished 6-0 in the tournament with wins over Hungary, Greece, Croatia, Italy (twice) and Spain.
The final was tight from start. Team USA jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but Spain responded and tied the score. The lead went back and fourth in the second quarter. Spain went ahead 5-4 with 3:41 to play in the first half before Raisin and Allison Cohen answered with goals for a 6-5 edge with :35 to play. Spain had a power play goal right before the end of the half to even the match at 6-6 going into the break.
Spain went ahead 7-6 and again at 8-7 before Team USA started to hit their stride. Julia Bonaguidi tied the match at 8-8 and then Rosalie Hassett put the team up 10-9 with 2:55 to play. Haaland-Ford finished the quarter with a flourish, scoring two straight for a 12-10 lead.
After Spain scored once more to end the third, Haaland-Ford kept it rolling in the fourth with her third straight to make it 13-11 in favor of Team USA. Ausmus followed with her second tally of the day for a 14-11 lead. Spain tried to battle back but the United States always had an answer. Haaland-Ford hit again for a 15-12 lead and then Kamryn Barone put the team up 16-13 with 2:12 to go in the match. Spain put away two more goals but ran out of time to get an equalizer.
Spain’s Irene Casado led all scorers with five goals.
For Haaland-Ford and Raisin, it was their second international gold medal won in Brazil. In 2023, they were part of USA Women’s Youth National Team that captured the Pan American Aquatics U17 title in Bauru, Brazil.
Story includes information from USA Water Polo.