FINA World Championships, Water Polo: Second Day Complete, U.S. Back on Track With Win

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SHANGHAI, China, July 19. THE second day of women's water polo action at the FINA World Championships featured a jam-packed day of exciting competition.

Defending silver medalist Canada shellacked Uzbekistan, 22-6, with Krystina Alogbo leading the way with five goals. Joelle Bekhazi and Whitney Rae Genoway both connected on four goals each for Canada. Aleksandra Sarancha was the only multiple goal scorer for Uzbekistan with a two-for-four effort.

Australia tripled up New Zealand, 12-4, in the second match. Glencora Ralph paced Australia with a hat trick on a three-for-five performance, while Kelly Fiona Mason led New Zealand with two goals.

2009 bronze medalist Russia stomped Spain, 18-8, in the third match. Ekaterina Prokofyeva connected on five of six shots, while teammate Ekaterina Lisunova went four-for-four from the field. Bianca Gil Sorli, Paula Chillida Esforzado and Maria Del Carmen Garcia Godoy each tallied two goals for Spain.

In the closest contest of the early action, Greece edged Brazil, 11-8. Greece utilized a balanced attack with four players scoring a pair of goals, and a total of seven goal scorers to keep Brazil at bay. Brazil also proved to be balanced with eight different goal scorers in the competition.

Italy followed up with an 18-2 whitewashing of South Africa. Elisa Casanova tallied four goals, while Martina Savioli and Roberta Bianconi each had a hat trick in the dominant performance. Megan Catherine Schooling and Sarah Lee Harris accounted for South Africa's offensive production with a goal each.

After a surprising first-day tie with The Netherlands, defending champion United States powered by Hungary, 16-7. Courtney Mathewson led the U.S. with a three-for-three effort, while Heather Danielle Petri, Brenda Villa, Lauren Ashley Wenger, Margaret Ann Steffens, Annika Madsen Dries and Kameryn Louise Craig each connected for two goals each. Gabriella Szucs picked up a hat trick for Hungary with three goals of her own.

The Netherlands, gaining confidence from the tie with the U.S., smashed Kazakhstan, 13-3.Nienke Jorinde Vermeer carried the bulk of the load for The Netherlands with a four-for-nine performance. Marina Gritsenko tallied two goals to lead Kazakhstan.

Host nation China concluded the evening with a 19-6 drubbing of Cuba. Wang Yi went four-for-four to lead China, while Sun Yujun had a hat trick from a three-for-six outing. Hirovis Hernandez Consuegra and Danay Gutierrez More each scored two goals for Cuba.

"I think we didn't play our normal game," Ma Huanhuan said. "We missed a lot of scoring chances. The next match against Italy is very important, so we keep stamina and energy reserve for the game."

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