USA Women’s Water Polo Makes Way to Gold-Medal Match With 13-1 Drubbing of Brazil at Pan American Games

GUADALAJARA, Mexico, October 27.THE USA Water Polo Women's National Team will play for Gold at the Pan American Games after defeating Brazil 13-1 at the Scotiabank Aquatics Center. A sluggish start in the first half gave way to an offensive outburst in the second, including six unanswered goals in the fourth quarter. Courtney Mathewson (Anaheim Hills, Calif./UCLA/NYAC) led all scorers with five goals while Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, Mich./Michigan/NYAC) went the distance in net turning aside four shots. Team USA will meet Canada in the final on Friday at 5pm cst. Canada and the United States last met in a major championship final when the United States defeated Canada for the Gold Medal at the 2009 FINA World Championships. The Canadians defeated Cuba 15-9 in the semi-finals.

Team USA got off a to a strong start when Kami Craig (Santa Barbara, Calif./USC/Santa Barbara WPF) drew a five meter penalty 21 seconds into the match but the shot was missed by Kelly Rulon (San Diego, Calif./UCLA/NYAC). The United States eventually cracked the scoring column with a Mathewson score and closed the first period up 3-1. In the second Team USA again failed to convert a five meter penalty and Brenda Villa (Commerce, Calif./Stanford/Olympic Club) cashed in the lone goal of the period for a 4-0 lead at intermission. The second half was a different story as the United States started to get on a roll posting three goals in the third period and then blowing things open in the fourth. After Brazil scored their lone goal of the game at the 5:30 mark of the fourth the United States proceeded to rip off six straight tallies, including two by Mathewson to seal the match.

Villa and Wenger contributed two goals apiece while Maggie Steffens (Danville, Calif./Stanford/Diablo), Heather Petri (Orinda, Calif./California/NYAC), Annika Dries (Laguna Beach, Calif./Stanford/SET), and Melissa Seidemann (Walnut Creek, Calif./Stanford/Stanford) all scored once. The United States went 3/6 on power plays and 0/2 on penalties while Brazil was 0/4 on power plays and did not draw a penalty.

Scoring – Scoresheet
USA 13 (3, 1, 3, 6) C. Mathewson 5, B. Villa 2, L. Wenger 2, H. Petri 1, A. Dries 1, M. Seidemann 1, M. Steffens 1
BRA 1 (0, 0, 1, 0)

Saves – USA – B. Armstrong 4
6×5 – USA 3/6 – BRA 0/4
Penalties – USA 0/2 – BRA 0/0

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