Current:Home > StocksU.S. women's water polo grinds out win for a spot in semifinals vs. Australia -Thrive Financial Network
U.S. women's water polo grinds out win for a spot in semifinals vs. Australia
View
Date:2025-04-16 22:16:41
NANTERRE, France — Team USA women’s water polo’s quest for a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal remains alive after the Americans knocked off Hungary, 5-4, in the quarterfinals Tuesday. Advancing to Thursday’s semifinals, they’ll take on Australia, which topped Greece, 9-6, earlier in the day.
“Me and Maggie [Steffens] hugged each other and just screamed in each other's faces, just acknowledging that we both put our whole selves into that game,” USA goalkeeper and three-time Olympian Ashleigh Johnson said.
“We both could see that effort and appreciate that effort, and it's on to the next one. We're like, ‘We got this.’”
In a hard-fought contest, the teams were fairly even throughout the match, and Team USA had a 3-2 lead after two quarters. Tied at 4-4 midway through the fourth quarter, three-time Olympian Rachel Fattal delivered the go-ahead goal with 3:02 left and ultimately sealed the victory for the Americans.
All about defense, it was the lowest combined women’s water polo score of the Olympics so far.
2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.
“We knew it was gonna be a grind,” Fattal said of Hungary. “We knew it was gonna be a tough game no matter what, whether it was high-scoring or low-scoring. And we knew we were gonna have to fight the whole time. So, no, it doesn't surprise me that it was low-scoring at all.”
Team USA’s captain, Steffens, a four-time Olympian, led the team with two goals off three shots, and Johnson made 17 saves on 21 shots on the day at Paris La Défense Arena.
“[Johnson] continues to set the bar extremely high,” Steffens said. “I think it's kind of funny how when she doesn't have over 15 saves — which is absurd — people are like, ‘Oh, tough game.' It's like, what?" …
“Something that's great about Ashleigh is it's just, it's not just her ability to block balls and be our wall back there, but she's a huge leader for us.”
The other semifinal match will feature Spain, which topped Canada, against Netherlands, which beat Italy in the quarterfinals Tuesday.
Spain and Netherlands are set to face off at 8:35 a.m. ET Thursday, while Team USA and Australia will play the second semifinal at 1:35 p.m. ET.
veryGood! (7)
Related
- Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
- Tropical Weather Latest: Swaths of Mexico and Florida under hurricane warnings as Helene strengthens
- Parkinson’s diagnosis came after Favre began struggling with his right arm, he tells TMZ Sports
- Helene reaches hurricane status ahead of landfall in Florida: Live updates
- A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?
- Teen Mom Alum Kailyn Lowry Reveals Why She Postponed Her Wedding to Fiancé Elijah Scott
- Rapper Fatman Scoop died of heart disease, medical examiner says
- How to get rid of motion sickness, according to the experts
- Nevada attorney general revives 2020 fake electors case
- The Masked Singer Reveals That Made Fans' Jaws Drop
Ranking
- Small twin
- Helene reaches hurricane status ahead of landfall in Florida: Live updates
- Helene's explosive forecast one of the 'most aggressive' in hurricane history
- WNBA playoff games today: What to know for Sun vs. Fever, Lynx vs. Mercury on Wednesday
- Bodycam footage shows high
- Another Outer Banks home collapses into North Carolina ocean, the 3rd to fall since Friday
- Southwest plans to cut flights in Atlanta while adding them elsewhere. Its unions are unhappy
- Sean Diddy Combs and Kim Porter’s Kids Break Silence on Rumors About Her Death and Alleged Memoir
Recommendation
A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
OpenAI exec Mira Murati says she’s leaving artificial intelligence company
1969 Dodge Daytona Hemi V8 breaks auction record with $3.3 million bid
Jack Schlossberg Reveals His Family's Reaction to His Crazy Social Media Videos
Juan Soto praise of Mets' future a tough sight for Yankees, but World Series goal remains
New survey finds nearly half of Asian Americans were victims of a hate act in 2023
Reality TV star Julie Chrisley to be re-sentenced in bank fraud and tax evasion case
Squatters graffiti second vacant LA mansion owned by son of Philadelphia Phillies owner