{"id":593466,"date":"2024-07-31T15:50:58","date_gmt":"2024-07-31T22:50:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=593466"},"modified":"2024-07-31T15:50:58","modified_gmt":"2024-07-31T22:50:58","slug":"olympic-womens-water-polo-ashleigh-johnson-stellar-as-u-s-trounces-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/olympic-womens-water-polo-ashleigh-johnson-stellar-as-u-s-trounces-italy\/","title":{"rendered":"Olympic Women\u2019s Water Polo: Ashleigh Johnson Stellar as U.S. Trounces Italy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Olympic Women\u2019s Water Polo: Ashleigh Johnson Stellar as U.S. Trounces Italy<\/strong><\/p>\n

The U.S. apparently didn\u2019t take kindly to a loss in women\u2019s water polo against Spain on Monday. Italy was the unfortunate beneficiary of the American frustrations.<\/p>\n

Maddie Musselman<\/strong> scored three goals, and Ashleigh Johnson<\/strong> made 12 saves to hold Italy to three goals in a 10-3 stomping Wednesday in group play at the Paris Olympics.<\/p>\n

The U.S. led 6-2 at half and shut the Italians out in the third quarter. Johnson, the most outstanding goalkeeper at each of the last two Olympics, was outstanding, with 12 denials. Italy had upset the U.S. in the quarterfinals of Worlds last year on the way to bronze for the 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalists.<\/p>\n

Maggie Steffens<\/strong> orchestrated the attack, which bounced back from a 13-11 loss to Spain on Monday. Steffens scored on her only shot and dished four assists. Jordan Raney<\/strong> had a goal and two assists.<\/p>\n

The U.S. was 6-for-12 on the power play, holding Italy to 1-for-6 on the player advantage and 1-for-18 (6 percent) on action shots.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, 10 rounds of the shootout were required for Australia to upset 2023 world champion Netherlands, 15-14, in a classic. Bente Rogge<\/strong> tied the game at 7 with 44 seconds left to push the Aussies to OT, after both teams had chance to win it late in regulation.<\/p>\n

Laura Aarts<\/strong> made a save in the second round of the shootout for the Netherlands, but the Dutch missed in the fourth. In sudden death, both shooters missed in the seventh round, Genevieve Longman<\/strong> saving a Sabrina van der Sloot<\/strong> shot to keep Australia alive. Bronte Halligan<\/strong> scored in the 10th round, and Longman denied Lola Moolhuijzen<\/strong> to seal the win for the Aussies.<\/p>\n

The goalies were great all day. Aarts made nine saves. Gabriella Palm<\/strong> had seven, including a denial of van der Sloot at the buzzer, before Longman entered for the shootout.<\/p>\n