{"id":617633,"date":"2025-07-21T18:20:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T01:20:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=617633"},"modified":"2025-07-21T18:20:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T01:20:09","slug":"womens-water-polo-world-championships-greece-defeats-usa-hungary-takes-down-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/womens-water-polo-world-championships-greece-defeats-usa-hungary-takes-down-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"Women’s Water Polo World Championships: Greece Defeats USA, Hungary Takes Down Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"

Women’s Water Polo World Championships: Greece Defeats USA, Hungary Takes Down Spain<\/strong><\/p>\n

The quest for the U.S. women to win a ninth world title in women’s water polo came to an end Monday when Greece knocked out the American team in the quarterfinals. Hours later, Spain’s hopes of backing up an Olympic title with another gold medal in Singapore were dashed by the team from Hungary.<\/p>\n

In the first semifinal match, Greece took a 6-5 lead over the U.S. at halftime and maintained a 9-8 advantage heading into the final period. In crunch time for the Americans, they were only able to muster two further goals while Greece scored four on the way to a 14-10 victory.<\/p>\n

Vasiliki Plevritou<\/strong> led the way for the Greek team with four goals on seven shots while\u00a0Stefania Santa<\/strong> and\u00a0Eleni Xenaki<\/strong> each went 3-for-6. Goalkeeper\u00a0Ioanna Stamatopoulou<\/strong> recorded 12 saves.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was amazing today. We played really good. My team is ready for the final, ready for the gold,” Greek team captain Eleftheria Plevritou<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0said. “We played amazing in the last minutes. We controlled the game with the time. We were in front by three goals, and we also raised that to four goals. I’m proud of my team, and we are ready for the gold.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The appearance in the Worlds final will be the first for Greece since 2011. Last year, the team was on the verge of qualifying before losing to Hungary in a semifinal shoot-out. Greece then missed the medals after falling 10-9 to Spain in the final.<\/p>\n

“I think it was like a curse, if I can say that. We had a great team, great players throughout the years, but what was missing was that we didn\u2019t believe in ourselves. We didn\u2019t have the confidence that we needed,” Plevritou said. “After the gold medal in the World Cup a few months ago in China, I think we gained that confidence that helped us to come here stronger, with a clear mind, that we know that we can do it and I think we did it. Of course, we have one more game, the most important, but I\u2019m really proud of my team.”<\/span><\/p>\n

For the Americans,\u00a0Jewel Roemer<\/strong>,\u00a0Emma Lineback<\/strong> and\u00a0Emily Ausmus<\/strong> each scored two goals, but a 1-for-7 performance from\u00a0Jenna Flynn<\/strong> hurt their chances of advancing.\u00a0Amanda Longan<\/strong> saved only 6 of 20 shots on goal.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019m proud of the effort,” U.S. coach Adam Krikorian<\/strong> said. “We gave it everything we had today. At the end of the day, the Greek team were just incredible. They\u2019re much better than we are right now, I think that\u2019s clear. Our inexperience and inability to handle some physicality and disorganization offensively that led to some easy goals for them \u2013 that\u2019s their strength, their ability to use their speed and score on the counter-attack.”<\/span><\/p>\n