Women’s FINA Water Polo SuperfinalFINA Notes on Gold Medal Game; USA v. Hungary

LONG BEACH, Calif., June 27.

Game Twenty (GOLD MEDAL GAME): HUNGARY vrs. USA
HUNGARY, 10 – USA, 12
( 3:2, 1:3, 3:2, 1:1 ) regulation time
( 2:4 ) penalty shoot-out

FINAL STANDINGS:
USA wins GOLD MEDAL
HUNGARY earns SILVER MEDAL

GAME NOTES:
The United States of America won a penalty shootout 4-2 to beat Hungary
12-10 for the gold medal.

The game was 8-8 at full time and the host nation had the better of the
shootout series.

This was the one the huge crowd had come to see and the teams did not
disappoint. Rita Dravucz opened for Hungary on the power play but it wasn¹t
long before Brenda Villa had the spectators roaring, scoring on extra. Kelly
Rulon made it 2-1 on counter at 5:11. Dravucz levelled with a penalty goal
at 3:40 and Aniko Pelle scored her own counter goal, just inside the hooter.

Amber Stachowski showed why she is such a class two-metre player, turning
and shooting while low in the water at 6:42 of the second quarter. Agnes
Primasz sent one across the cage for 4-3 and some time later Margaret
Dingeldein levelled. At 0:21, Natalie Golda scored from the point, sending a
horizontal shot into the top right for a 5-4, halftime lead.

Mercedes Stieber fired one into the top at 7:46 of the third period and
Dravucz dulled the crowd¹s enthusiasm with one on extra at 5:55 for a 6-5
lead. Ericka Lorenz rose high deep right and hammered the ball across the
cage for 6-6 on extra at 2:42. Villa wasted no time in converting another
power play for the lead at 7-6. However. Celebrations were premature as
Pelle grabbed a second on a cross pass at 0.16 for a tied game.

USA goalkeeper Jacqueline Frank was ejected stopping a fast break by a
Hungarian player. The ball went back to a player at halfway and the long
shot barred out. Primasz lobbed on the drive on the next attack at 6:04 and
Dingeldein repeated the effort for the USA 30 seconds later for 8-8. Both
teams took a timeout but no goals and the USA had two shots in the dying
seconds, both failing to find the mark. The game went to a penalty shootout.

Brenda Villa shot first for the USA, putting it into the top left. Agnes
Valkai had her shot blocked by Frank. Lorenz put her shot into the right for
10-8. Primasz also sent hers to the right for 10-9. Stachowski missed the
target for the USA and Stieber saw her shot hit Frank. Robin Beauregard sent
hers in to the left for 11-9 and Dravucz replied in the bottom left for
11-10. With only one set of shots left Golda swam up and etched her name in
history by scoring into the right and negating the need for Hungary to have
the final shot. The USA had won 12-10.

FLASH QUOTES:
HUNGARY (10)
COACH: TAMAS FARAGO

ON GAME: “They had more luck.”

ON SHOOTOUT: “Shootouts could definitely be something very special for water polo, but overtime is easier.”

ON USA’S PERFORMANCE: “I’m very happy for them (USA), because if the US continues to get better, it will be good for all of water polo.”

UNITED STATES (12)

Head Coach GUY BAKER ON PENALTY SHOOTOUTS: “The last time I was a part of one was as a men’s assistant coach at the 1997 World Cup. It was different back then because we got six shots and only three players to shoot them.” “I think they are really good for what they are trying to do with the league. For the fans, it’s an awesome thing to watch and it’s very entertaining. As a coach, I prefer overtime.”

ON THE GAME: “Fans got to see a really entertaining game tonight. There was a little bit of everything. Hungary is a fantastic team.”

ERICKA LORENZ ON SHOOTOUT: “ It was a different experience, it was my first one.”

ON CROWD NOISE DURING HER SHOT IN SHOOTOUT: “I don’t even pay attention, I’m in my zone.”

JACQUELINE FRANK ON GAME: “The entire game was really exciting. Hungary is a great team.”

ON SHOOTOUT: “It was the first shootout that I’ve ever been a part of or even seen.” “I hoped all of our field players would make their goals.”

ON GAME: “I thought it was fun, with the crowd and atmosphere. Hungary is a great team.”

ON SAVES IN SHOOTOUT: “I know that Hungary’s players like to skip the ball on shots, they have long arms and whip the ball around.” “With the shots from five meters rather than four meters, it gives you a little more time to react.”

BRENDA VILLA:

ON GAME: “It’s awesome. It’s our last game on American soil before Athens. We don’t want to start rough in Athens. We’re going to be playing many European teams, so it was good to play Hungary in the final.”

ON MISSING LAST SHOT: “I can’t believe I hit the bar. I’ve never been in a shootout. It’s the utmost pressure situation.”

ON SHOOTOUT: “Everyday we do this (shootouts) at practice. We don’t want to get too comfortable.”

ON GAME STRATEGY: “Get a win regardless of what you have to do.”

ON TONIGHT’S CROWD: “It’s good to have a huge crowd. We need to take that (cheers) with us (in Athens), because we’re expecting a lot of boos in Athens.”

COMPOSITION OF TEAM AND SCORERS:

HUNGARY: 10
Ildiko SOS (GK), Eszter TOMASKOVICS, Anett GYORE, Dora KISTELEKI, Mercedes
STIEBER (1), Erzsebet VALKAI, Rita DRAVUCZ (4), Krisztina ZANTLEITNER, Krisztina
SZREMKO, Aniko PELLE (2), Agnes VALKAI, Agnes PRIMASZ (3), Andrea TOTH, Patricia
HORVATH
HEAD COACH: Dr. Tamas FARAGO

RESULTS SINCE 2000: Second Place 2001 World Championships; first place 2002 World Cup; fifth place 2003 World Championships, silver medal 2004 World League Super FInals.

RESULTS OF 2004 FINA WATER POLO WORLD LEAGUE COMPETTITION:
Day One: (0-1) – HUNGARY lost to ITALY, 4-6
Day Two: (1-1) – HUNGARY defeated CANADA, 12-7
Day Three: (2-1) – HUNGARY defeated AUSTRALIA, 5-4
Day Four: (3-1) – HUNGARY defeated RUSSIA, 8-
TODAY: (3-2) – HUNGARY lost to USA, 10-12

TO HUNGARY SCORERS IN FINA WATER POLO WORLD LEAGUE SUPER FINALS:
STIEBER (9), VALKAI (7), DRAVUCZ (7), PELLE (4), KISTELEKI (4), SZEREMKO (4)

USA: 12
Nicolle PAYNE, Jacqueline FRANK (GK), Heather PETRI, Ericka LORENZ (2), Brenda VILLA (3), Ellen ESTES, Natalie GOLDA (2), Margaret DINGELDEIN (2), Kelly RULON (1), Heather MOODY, Robin BEAUREGARD (1), Amber STACHOWSKI (1), Thalia MUNRO
HEAD COACH: Guy BAKER

RESULTS SINCE 2000: Silver medal 2000 Olympic Games, fourth place 2001 World Championships, second place 2002 World Cup, Gold Medal 2003 World Championships, Gold medal 2004 World League Super FInals.

RESULTS OF FINA WATER POLO WORLD LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Day One: (1-0) – USA defeated KAZAKHSTAN, 10-4
Day Two: (1-1) – USA lost to RUSSIA, 5-10
Day Three: (2-1) – USA defeated GREECE, 9-7
Day Four: (3-1) – USA defeated ITALY, 10-9
TODAY: (4-1) – USA defeated HUNGARY, 12-10

TOP USA SCORERS IN FINA WATER POLO WORLD LEAGUE SUPER FINALS:
VILLA (11), LORENZ (7), GOLDA (7), ESTES (5), DINGELDEIN (5)

POWER PLAYS:
HUNGARY: 4/11
USA: 5/10

REFEREES: Militiachis ELEFTHERIDIS (GRE) & Vladimir PRIKHODKO (KAZ)

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