University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
USA Wins 2015 FINA World Championships
KAZAN, Russia -- For the fourth time in 12 years the USA Water Polo Women's National Team are FINA World Champions. The latest iteration came in Kazan, Russia with a 5-4 defensive minded victory over the Netherlands earlier tonight.
Ashleigh Johnson (Miami, FL/Princeton/Miami Riptides) recorded 12 saves including a crucial penaltly shot stop in the fourth period en route to being named match MVP and the tournament's top goalkeeper. Rachel Fattal (Seal Beach, CA/UCLA/SOCAL) delivered two huge goals in a game that didn't have many, pacing the offense on the way to Tournament MVP honors.
“It was surreal," UCLA's Fattal said. "We played well together, we were balanced and strong on defense. Ashleigh Johnson is just an amazing player and we played as a team the whole time. If you have an amazing goalkeeper behind you in defense it leads to (good) offense.”
The victory prolongs a dominant streak for the USA Women that now sees them as the reigning Olympic, World, World Cup, World League, and Pan American champions, a feat never before achieved in women's international water polo. The championship final will be shown later today on Universal Sports at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.
The low scoring affair started out scoreless until two minutes left in the first period when Yasemin Smit broke through for the Netherlands giving them a 1-0 lead.
That was the score headed to the second when Team USA got on the board thanks to a Fattal goal in the opening minute. Maddie Musselman (Newport Beach, CA/Corona del Mar HS/CdM Aquatics) followed not long after with a counter attack goal for a 2-1 USA lead. With under four minutes to play the Dutch answered on a counter attack goal from Lieke Klassen to even the match at 2-2 going into halftime.
Fattal came calling again early in the third, scoring her second of the match to push Team USA back in front at 3-2. That lead was short lived as Maud Megens scored with just over five minutes to play to knot the score at 3-3. The red, white, and blue answered immediately when Kiley Neushul (Goleta, CA/Stanford/Santa Barbara) scored on the very next possession to go ahead 4-3. Team USA created some breathing room late in the period thanks to a goal from Courtney Mathewson (Anaheim Hills, CA/UCLA/NYAC) to build a 5-3 lead going to the fourth.
In the final eight minutes the Netherlands looked to rally one last time. With a little over four minutes to play they drew a penalty shot, only to see Johnson deny the attempt preserving the two goal advantage. Not long after, the Netherlands would cut the deficit to one on a score from Megens to make it 5-4 with 3:13 to play. While the USA offense wouldn't muster another goal, the defense took over the rest of the way not allowing another goal from the Dutch to come away winners at 5-4.
Team USA went 2-for-10 on power plays and did not attempt a penalty while the Netherlands went 1-for-4 on power plays and 0-for-1 on penalties.
The previous FINA World Championships for Team USA were won in 2003 (Barcelona), 2007 (Melbourne) and 2009 (Rome). The current run of multiple event championship titles being held concurrently began at the 2012 Olympic Games (London) and continued with the 2014 FINA World Cup (Khanty-Mansiysk), 2015 FINA World League Super Final (Shanghai), and 2015 Pan American Games (Toronto).
USA vs. Netherlands (FINA World Championship Gold Medal Match)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| USA | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| Netherlands | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Scoring - Scoresheet
6x5 - USA - 2/10 - NED - 1/4
Penalties - USA - 0/0 - NED 0/1
USA Goals: R. Fattal 2, K. Neushul 1, M. Musselman 1, C. Mathewson 1
USA Saves: A. Johnson 12
NED Goals: M. Megens 2, L. Klaassen 1, Y. Smit 1
NED Saves: L. Aarts - 9