Maddie Musselman scored six times in front of a sold-out crowd at Cathedral Catholic High in San Diego Thursday night and the U.S. Olympic women’s water polo team beat Russia, 16-5, in the first of a three-game set that concludes non-Olympic competition.
The two teams meet next on Sunday at UCLA at 2 pm and will be streamed live on Facebook.com/USAWP. The two will close out the series on Wednesday at Stanford’s Avery Aquatic Center. Tickets for the match at Stanford are already sold out.
Team USA (32-2) got off to a quick start jumping out to a 3-0 lead including two goals from Musselman. Russia broke through with a tally only to see Courtney Mathewson connect with eight seconds left in the period to build a 4-1 advantage.
The second quarter was much like the first with Musselman scoring the first two goals of the quarter and Mathewson adding the next two to make iot 7-3 at halftime.
USC grad Kami Craig celebrated her 29th birthday with a goal in front of the cage for a 9-3 advantage. Musselman and Stanford senior Maggie Steffens followed with goals for an 11-3 lead.
The five-goal outburst for the United States ended with 35 seconds to go in the period on a lob from Kaleigh Gilchrist for a 12-4 lead.
Cardinal grad Melissa Seidemann scored the final two goals of the contest. Stanford incoming freshman Mackenzie Fischer also scored.
Team USA went 7-of-11 on power plays and 1-of-2 on penalty shots while Russia was 1-of-7 on power plays and converted its lone penalty shot.
USA Cadet team
Menlo School’s Nick Bisconti scored twice but the men’s national team fell to host Canada, 16-15, in the title match of the UANA Junior Pan American Championship in Edmonton.
Men’s rugby
East Palo Alto resident Folau Niua was named to the USA Rugby Olympic team recently.
The USA rugby website wrote, “Several Eagles named to Team USA for Rugby Sevens’ debut at the Rio 2016 Olympic Summer Games have already captured medals at a multi-sport event.
“For Folau Niua, a bronze medal at the 2011 Pan Am Games in Guadalajara was just the start of a journey that was to lead to an Olympic podium.
“Niua led the U.S. in scoring at the 2011 Pan Am Games, and cemented a position on the circuit side by the end of the calendar year.
“The dummy is a staple of Niua’s game, but it is his abilities with the ball under pressure and as a defender that have seen him rack up 191 appearances on the Series – second-most behind Zack Test – and 17 caps with the XVs team as a center in midfield.”
By Palo Alto Online Sports/USA water polo
By Palo Alto Online Sports/USA water polo
By Palo Alto Online Sports/USA water polo