Women's Youth National Team Beats New Zealand 12-6 To Win Group At World Aquatics U18 Championships
Chengdu, China - September 18 - The U.S. Women's Youth National Team beat New Zealand 12-6 today to win Group B at the 2024 World Aquatics U18 Water Polo Championships. Amber Nowaczek, Sydney Lowell, and Allison Cohen each registered a hat trick for the Americans. A replay of the game can be accessed here. Team USA awaits its opponent for the quarterfinals on Friday at 4:00am et/1:00am pt.
The United States started strongly in this one with four goals on the board right off the bat from Nowaczek (2), Katherine O'Dea, and Lowell before New Zealand broke through with 0:36 to play on a goal from Holly Dunn to set the score at 4-1 after one. Bailee Swindells opened the second quarter on the counter for New Zealand followed by a skipshot goal from Bianca Pennington to reduce the deficit to one. Rosalie Hassett dropped one in on the player advantage and Cohen nailed her first on the day for the American answer. Tallulah Goldsworthy buried an outside shot and the margin was back to two at 6-4 by halftime.
Dunn put away a penalty shot to start the third period, however, Nowaczek went cross-cage from the top right and Cohen converted from five meters for a three goal edge. From there, Cohen went to set and spun a shot into goal for her third of the game and a 9-5 lead. A timeout in the final frame yielded nothing as neither team could find the back of the net in the first three minutes. The first goal came from Lowell off a lob shot on the counter. Next, she missed her penalty attempt, but the ball ricocheted back to her to collect and score with 3:08 to go. O'Dea scored from the top and Pennington grabbed a second goal to set the final score at 12-6 just inside the final minute.
Team USA went 2/7 on power plays and 2/5 on penalties while New Zealand went 2/9 on power plays and 1/1 on penalties.
Scoring - Stats
USA 12 (4, 2, 3, 3) A. Cohen 3, S. Lowell 3, A. Nowaczek 3, K. O'Dea 2, R. Hassett 1
NZL 6 (1, 3, 1, 1) H. Dunn 2, B. Pennington 2, B. Swindells 1, T. Goldsworthy 1
6x5 - USA - 2/7 - NZL - 2/9
Penalties - USA - 2/5 - NZL - 1/1
The United States started strongly in this one with four goals on the board right off the bat from Nowaczek (2), Katherine O'Dea, and Lowell before New Zealand broke through with 0:36 to play on a goal from Holly Dunn to set the score at 4-1 after one. Bailee Swindells opened the second quarter on the counter for New Zealand followed by a skipshot goal from Bianca Pennington to reduce the deficit to one. Rosalie Hassett dropped one in on the player advantage and Cohen nailed her first on the day for the American answer. Tallulah Goldsworthy buried an outside shot and the margin was back to two at 6-4 by halftime.
Dunn put away a penalty shot to start the third period, however, Nowaczek went cross-cage from the top right and Cohen converted from five meters for a three goal edge. From there, Cohen went to set and spun a shot into goal for her third of the game and a 9-5 lead. A timeout in the final frame yielded nothing as neither team could find the back of the net in the first three minutes. The first goal came from Lowell off a lob shot on the counter. Next, she missed her penalty attempt, but the ball ricocheted back to her to collect and score with 3:08 to go. O'Dea scored from the top and Pennington grabbed a second goal to set the final score at 12-6 just inside the final minute.
Team USA went 2/7 on power plays and 2/5 on penalties while New Zealand went 2/9 on power plays and 1/1 on penalties.
Scoring - Stats
USA 12 (4, 2, 3, 3) A. Cohen 3, S. Lowell 3, A. Nowaczek 3, K. O'Dea 2, R. Hassett 1
NZL 6 (1, 3, 1, 1) H. Dunn 2, B. Pennington 2, B. Swindells 1, T. Goldsworthy 1
6x5 - USA - 2/7 - NZL - 2/9
Penalties - USA - 2/5 - NZL - 1/1
