Makenzie Fisher scored three first-half goals and Maggie Steffens had two goals and two assists as the U.S. defeated Australia, 14-11, in a women’s water polo game at USC after the U.S. men lost to Australia, 8-6.
Following three early ties, the U.S. took the lead for good on Steffens’ goal with one minute, 23 seconds left in the first period. The U.S. led 5-4 at the end of the first period, 10-7 at halftime and 13-10 entering the fourth quarter.
Fisher, a 2015 graduate of Laguna Beach High School, opened the scoring 29 seconds into the game. She also scored twice in the second period. Her sister Aria, a junior at Laguna Beach High School, also scored in the second period.
The Fisher sisters are among seven players from Orange County on the 17- player U.S. roster. Kaleigh Gilchrist of Newport Beach had two goals and an assist, Rachel Fattal of Seal Beach and Courtney Mathewson of Anaheim Hills both scored twice and Maddie Musselman, a Corona del Mar High senior, had a goal and an assist.
KK Clark also scored as the U.S. improved to 16-0 in 2016, including three victories over Australia.
U.S. goalkeeper Ashleigh Johnson made nine saves.
The U.S. scored on seven of its 10 power-play opportunities while Australia was five for 10. Both teams made their only penalty shots.
Rowie Webster led Australia with three goals and an assist. Hannah Buckling, who played on USC’s 2013 NCAA championship team, scored twice for Australia, as did Zoe Arancini and Ashleigh Southern.
The U.S. men never led or were tied. They pulled within one goal five times, the last when former USC standout Nikola Vavic of Palos Verdes scored with 1:49 left in the third period, cutting Australia’s lead to 6-5.
Australia took a 7-5 lead when Richie Campbell scored his third goal with 2:51 left in the fourth period. Lachan Edwards put a shot past his USC teammate McQuin Baron with 1:25 to play to give Australia an 8-5 lead.
The U.S. trailed 2-0 at the end of the first period and 3-2 at halftime.
Luca Cupido of Newport Beach, one of five players from Orange County, on the 16-player U.S. roster, scored twice. John Mann of Newport Beach scored once, as did Tony Azevedo of Long Beach, one of five U.S. players from Los Angeles County.
Alex Bowen had one goal and two assists for the U.S.
Baron of North Tustin, made three saves in the second half, allowing five goals. Merrill Moses of Palos Verdes made six saves in the first half, allowing three goals.
The U.S. scored on one of its 12 power-play opportunities while Australia scored on two of its four.
Joe Kayes also scored three goals for Australia, which was playing the U.S. for the fourth time in 13 days. The U.S. won all three of the previous games, including a 10-9 victory in the championship game of the FINA Men’s Intercontinental Tournament May 14 in Yokohama, Japan and a 12-11 victory in a shootout Friday at Claremont.
—City News Service