The gold standard is back for the U.S. Water Polo Women’s Senior National Team.
Team USA returned to the top of the world podium on Sunday as they beat Spain, 13-9, in the championship game of the World Aquatics World Cup in Sydney, Australia.
The U.S. failed to qualify for the World Cup Final last year following four consecutive gold medals (2010, 2014, 2018 and 2023). They also failed to medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris after a run of three straight golds and a streak of medaling in six straight Games.
Local players and Olympians contributed to Sunday’s victory. Ryann Neushul (Dos Pueblos High, Stanford alum, 2024 Olympics) scored a goal and Paige Hauschild (San Marcos High, USC alum, 2020 Olympics) assisted on Rachel Fattal’s goal that gave Team USA the lead for good (9-8) in the third quarter.
Emily Ausmus, who finished with six goals and was the top scorer of the tournament, tallied consecutive goals before Spain added one in the final 10 seconds of the quarter, cutting the American advantage to 11-9.
Goalie Amanda Longan made a pair of big saves early in the fourth quarter and Jordan Raney scored on a lob shot for a 12-9 lead. Longan finished with 13 saves in the game and was named the top goalie of the tournament.
Team USA’s defense stifled Spain’s attack for the rest of the final period. They held the Spanish to one goal in the last 12 and half minutes.
Raney sealed the victory with another deft lob shot.
In addition to Hauschild and Neushul, the Team USA roster included local players Ava Stryker (San Marcos, USC) and Lucy Haaland-Ford (San Marcos, Stanford); from the coaching staff, assistant Molly Cahill is an alum of Santa Barbara. It was the first gold medal at a major international tournament at the senior level for Stryker and Haaland Ford.
Head coach Adam Krikorian told the media he was proud of the players.
“You know, this group has grown a lot in a short period of time and they’ve just been a joy to work with; they are all pretty selfless and just want to get better,” he said. “We all want to win, but they’ve been very process oriented, and I think that’s a big reason why we’ve been able to have some success at this event, for sure.”
