Olympic Women’s Water Polo: Rachel Fattal Goal Leads U.S. Into Semis over Hungary

A Rachel Fattal goal with 3:02 to play led the United States past Hungary in a 5-4 defensive struggle Tuesday in the quarterfinals of the Olympic women’s water polo tournament.

Fattal’s goal sends the U.S. into the semifinals against Australia in the earlier semifinal on Wednesday. The Aussies took down Greece, 9-6. The U.S. is chasing its fourth consecutive gold medal, a run that began with wins over Australia in the semifinals and Spain in the final in London.

The other semifinal pits Spain against the Netherlands. The Tokyo silver medalist Spain routed Canada, 18-8. Netherlands, world champion in 2023, got there via an 11-8 win over Italy.

The Hungary-U.S. quarterfinal was not for the faint of heart. The U.S. shot 5-for-22 (23 percent), while Hungary was held to 4-for-31 (13 percent) and just 2-for-23 (nine percent) on action shots. Hungary’s two danger players – Rita Keszthelyi and Krisztina Garda – were limited to two goals on 2-for-17 shooting. Ashleigh Johnson was absolutely dominant with 17 saves.

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Maggie Steffens scored twice for the U.S. Jewel Roemer had a goal and two assists.

Hungary led 2-1 after one quarter, but goals by Tara Prentice and Roemer, the latter with 32 seconds left, gave the U.S. a 3-2 halftime lead.

Keszthelyi scored a fast-break goal to tie the game early in the third, before Steffens scored on the power play. Kamilla Farago answered barely a minute later to make it 4-4.

That would be it for the scoring, though, with Johnson making three saves in the final three minutes of the third quarter. She came up with just one in the fourth quarter, but the Hungarians were wayward with four other shots, no doubt needing to be too fine to get past the American goalie.

Australia’s win was more straightforward, Alice Williams scoring twice early in the third quarter to put them up 6-3. Her fifth goal of the game made it 8-4 with 3:16 left.

Williams shot 5-for-7 from the field. Abby Andrews paired two goals with three assists. Bronte Halligan had two and two. Gabriella Palm saved 12 shots.

Eleni Xenaki led Greece with two goals. Ioanna Stamatopoulou stopped nine shots.

Spain made quick work of Canada, lead 10-4 at half. They shot nearly 50 percent from the field at 18-for-37.

Elena Ruiz scored four goals. Judith Forca had two goals and four assists. Bea Ortiz and Paula Crespi tallied hat tricks. Laura Ester made 10 saves.

Verica Bakoc was the bright spot for Canada, shooting 4-for-4.

Goals by Vivian Sevenich and Lieke Rogge to start the fourth quarter turned a one-goal Dutch edge into a three-goal lead on Italy. Rogge scored twice to go with three assists. Sevenich had two goals. Brigitte Sleeking and Simone van de Kraats scored twice apiece.

Claudia Marletta scored three times for Italy. Valeria Palmieri and Dafne Bettini added two goals each.