U.S Women’s Water Polo Downs Italy, 8-2, to Start Holiday Cup

NEWPORT BEACH, California, December 11. THE USA Women's Senior National Team picked up their first Holiday Cup win with an 8-2 win over Italy on night two of the 10th Holiday Cup. Eight different scorers highlighted the United States offense and Team USA moved to 1-0-1 on the week while Italy fell to 0-2.

Italy struck first in the match scoring at the 5:40 mark to lead 1-0. That was quickly answered as Lolo Silver (Long Beach,CA) answered with a shot to the high corner for a 1-1 game. A little over a minute later with 1:03 left in the period Jessica Steffens (Danville, CA) found the net on a counter attack to go up 2-1 headed to the second period. In the second quarter Italy tied the game on a player advantage at 2-2, but that was answered by Kiley Neushul (Santa Barbara, CA) scoring on a power play to give Team USA a 3-2 lead at halftime.

In the third quarter the USA offense really started to click as Kami Craig (Santa Barbara, CA) worked free inside for a goal to take a 4-2 lead. Then moments later Lauren Wenger (Long Beach, CA) used a counter attack to light the proverbial lamp for a 5-2 lead. They continued to pour it on when Kelly Rulon (San Diego, CA) put the breaks on a counter attack and lofted a soft-toss over the goalies head for a 6-2 lead. The scoring was closed out in the third with :40 remaining as Annika Dries (Laguna Beach, CA) whirled free inside for a score and a 7-2 lead.

The fourth quarter was mostly quiet as both sides traded possessions up until the 1:57 mark left in the game when Maggie Steffens (Danville, CA) scored the final goal for an 8-2 lead and that proved to be the final. Emily Feher (Santa Ana, CA) posted eight saves in cage for the United States. Team USA went 1/7 on power plays while Italy went 1/7.

Scoring:

USA 8 (2, 1, 4, 1) L. Silver 1, L. Wenger 1, J. Steffens 1, A. Dries 1, K. Craig 1, M. Steffens 1, K. Neushul 1, K. Rulon 1
ITA 2 (1, 1, 0, 0) S. Motta 1, R. Bianconi 1

Saves – USA – E. Feher 8 – ITA G. Gorlero 9

In earlier action

Australia defeated Canada 12-6 and Russia and the Netherlands tied 10-10.

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