USA Women’s Water Polo Edges Canada 9-8 On Day Two Of Holiday Cup; Italy Defeats Greece 14-11

LOS ALAMITOS, California, February 17.THE USA Women's National Team made it two straight victories to open the Holiday Cup following a 9-8 win over Canada. Lolo Silver (Long Beach, CA/Stanford/NYAC) scored three goals to lead the offense while Sami Hill (Santa Barbara, CA/UCLA/Santa Barbara WPF) did the job in net turning aside ten shots. The United States closes out group play tomorrow with a match against defending World Champions, Greece.

Canada started off strong opening the game with a transition goal less than a minute in. The United States answered with a Kelly Rulon (San Diego, CA/UCLA/NYAC) power play goal to tie the match at 1-1. Canada went back ahead three minutes later on a score inside but Team USA had an answer. Juliet Moss (San Jose, CA/San Jose St./NYAC) buried a shot followed by a score from Silver for a 3-2 lead headed to the first.

In the second quarter the USA offense kept on rolling when Elsie Windes (Portland, OR/California/Tualitin Hills WP) and Courtney Mathewson (Anaheim Hills, CA/UCLA/NYAC) buried outside shots for a 5-2 lead. Canada rebounded with two straight goals, one on a power play, and another on a penalty shot to draw within 5-4 with 1:50 left. That would be as close as they got in the first half as Hill came up with a key save late in the period to keep a one goal lead going to intermission.

The third period saw Canada start off strong tying the match at 5-5 less than thirty seconds in. Melissa Seidemann (Walnut Creek, CA/Stanford/Stanford) buried a shot for a 6-3 lead and then moments later Windes put home a rebound on a power play score for a 7-5 lead. It wasn't until four minutes later that Canada got back on the board lofting in a lob shot with one minute remaining in the period for a 7-6 game going to the fourth.

In the fourth Canada was able to tie the match once more scoring a power play goal to make it 7-7 early in the period. The USA defense then kept Canada off the board for the next six minutes. In the interim Silver scored twice to build the USA lead back to two at 9-7. With :53 left in the match Canada drew a five meter penalty on top of an exclusion and scored on the penalty shot to make it 9-8. A final attempt for Canada was stolen away by the United States and Team USA secured the victory 9-8.

The United States went 2/7 on power plays and did not attempt any penalty shots while Canada was 2/10 on power plays and 2/2 on penalty shots.

Scoring – Scoresheet
USA 9 (3, 2, 2, 2) L. Silver 3, E. Windes 2, M. Seidemann 1, J. Moss 1, C. Mathewson 1, K. Rulon 1
CAN 8 (2, 2, 2, 2)

Saves – USA – S. Hill 10 – CAN – R. Riddell 4, S. Bredin 0

6×5 – USA – 2/7 – CAN – 2/10
Penalties – USA – 0/0 – CAN – 2/2

Italy Tops Greece 14-11

In the nightcap Italy defeated Greece 14-11 in a high scoring affair. It was a close contest early on with Italy leading just 3-2 in the first period. In the second quarter the Italians opened things up scoring six goals to just three from Greece to take a 9-5 lead at intermission. In the third quarter Greece got their offense restarted with four goals only to see Italy score four of their own to keep the difference at four with Italy leading 13-9.

The final period was won by the Greeks outscoring Italy 2-1 but at that point it was too late and Italy was able to come away with a three goal victory 14-11. Italy had two different players score three goals apiece including Tania DiMario with three scores. Roumpesi tallied four scores for Greece in the loss. Italy meets Canada tomorrow following Team USA taking on Greece.

Scoring – Scoresheet
ITA 14 (3, 6, 4, 1)
GRE 11 (2, 3, 4, 2)

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