By Eric Tiettmeyer<\/p>\n
FUKUOKAm Japan. July 26. ITALY topped the USA Women's National Water Polo Team 8-6 in the semi-final round of the World Championships. In other semi-
\nfinal action, European Champion Hungary defeated Canada, 4-3, so Team USA will play arch-rival Canada tomorrow for the bronze medal.<\/p>\n
The two teams, who had tied in the first round, battled goal for goal the entire game. After taking an early 2-1 lead, the Italians turned the tide and had the Americans, who displayed a relentless counter attack, playing catch up. <\/p>\n
Team USA tied the game on four different occasions but couldn't find an answer to Maddalena Musumeli's winning goal, which came with just a little more than two minutes remaining. Italy scored a penalty shot in the final seconds for the two goal margin.<\/p>\n
For the USA, Bernice Orwig (Anaheim,CA) had 7 saves in the cage and also blocked a key, penalty shot in the first period. Ericka Lorenz (San Diego,CA), Amber Stachowski (Santa Margarita, CA) and Coralie Simmons
\n(Hemet,CA) each had 2 goals in the game.<\/p>\n
"I am very happy with the way the team played," said Head Coach Guy Baker. "I think we did everything necessary to win the game. We went 4 for 6 in power plays and kept them at 1 for 5 in their power play opportunities. However, the game didn't go our way, and the Italians ended up with a victory."<\/p>\n
Team USA plays Canada tomorrow at 3 p.m. for the bronze medal, while Hungary and Italy will play for the gold, in a rematch of the European Championship
\nfinal. <\/p>\n
"Our first objective was to reach the medal round, which we did, and our 2nd objective is to win a medal. We were hoping for gold but now it is bronze.
\nIt is going to be a challenge coming back after today's tough lost and play a very good team, who is also an arch-rival," added Baker.<\/p>\n
Other games:
\nHungary topped Canada today, 4-3. Brazil crushed New Zealand 11-2, the Netherlands beat Japan 6-4, Australia squashed Greece 9-2, and Russia conquered Kazakhstan 8-6.<\/p>\n
Box Scores
\n 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
\nUSA 1 2 2 1 6
\nITA 0 4 2 2 8<\/p>\n
Scorers
\nThe USA: (E. Lorenz 2, Amber Stachowski 2, C. Simmons 2)
\nITA: (M. Miceli 3, G. Malato 2, T. Di Mario 1, M. Musumeli 1, M. Grego 1)<\/p>\n
Power Plays<\/p>\n
USA 4\/6
\nITA 1\/5 1 for 2 on Penalty Shots<\/p>\n
Goalie Saves:
\nThe USA (B.Orwig 7) (including a blocked penalty shot)
\nITA (F.Conti 11) <\/p>\n
6×5
\nUSA 4\/6
\nITA 1\/5 1 for 2 on Penalty Shots<\/p>\n
Play by play:<\/p>\n
Orwig blocked a key penalty shot and Amber Stachowski scored a power play goal to put the American women on top 1-0 in the first quarter.<\/p>\n
Both teams showed tremendous defense and hard driving counter attacks in the second quarter. Italy scored on a natural goal, quickly countered by a power play goal by Team USA standout Lorenz. Italy scored two goals their next two possessions to take a brief lead, before Simmons returned the favor on a natural goal to tie the game at three. Italy scored again 12 seconds
\nlater to take a 4-3 lead.<\/p>\n
Stachowski scored her second, power play goal 14 seconds into the third quarter from an ejection Team USA earned in the final 8 seconds of the first half. Italy scored a natural goal on the following possession to pull ahead 5-4. Team USA earned two power play advantages in the final three minutes of
\nthe quarter and scored on one to tie the game at 5-5. Martina Micele broke the tie with a natural goal at 2:04, and Italy went ahead, 6-5.<\/p>\n
Simmons tied the game once again in the final period on a natural goal. Italy scored 2:05 later to go ahead 7-6. Team USA earned a key power play advantage on their next possession but were stopped. Italy earned a penalty shot in the final 9 seconds, scored, and held on to an 8-6 win.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Eric Tiettmeyer FUKUOKAm Japan. July 26. ITALY topped the USA Women's National Water Polo Team 8-6 in the semi-final round of the World Championships. In other semi- final action,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[16885,5793,105,2121,37,881,2110,3542,5790,552,1756,178,141,584,696,3873,16884,124,322,16883,147,283,62],"class_list":["post-2751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-zzzzzzzzz","tag-amber-stachowski","tag-anaheim","tag-australia","tag-bernice-orwig","tag-brazil","tag-canada","tag-coralie-simmons","tag-diego","tag-ericka-lorenz","tag-greece","tag-guy-baker","tag-head-coach","tag-hungary","tag-italy","tag-japan","tag-kazakhstan","tag-martina-micele","tag-netherlands","tag-new-zealand","tag-penalty-shots-goalie","tag-russia","tag-san-diego","tag-united-states"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n