Athens, Greece - April 20 - The Team USA Women beat Italy 10-6 at the 2023 World Aquatics World Cup qualifier earlier today. Jordan Raney was named Player of the Game with five goals scored while Ashleigh Johnson recorded eleven saves in the cage. A replay of the game can be accessed here. Team USA returns to action against the Netherlands tomorrow morning at 9:00am et/6:00am pt. The game will stream LIVE on the World Aquatics YouTube page with LIVE stats available here.
Three minutes into the contest, Italy struck first via Dafne Bettini. Raney found Team USA's first score on a beautiful lob shot over the top of the defense two minutes later. As time was winding down in the quarter, Allison Cohen delivered a nice dish inside to Raney who redirected the pass into the net for a 2-1 lead after one.
In the second period, Italy began by earning a penalty shot and Claudia Marletta converted to tie the score. From there the defenses dominated until the closing seconds when the United States earned a player advantage and Maddie Musselman knocked one down, followed by Marletta putting home her second penalty shot of the game to level the score at 3-3 at the half.
Silvia Avegno deposited a 6m shot into the back of the net one minute into the third quarter, immediately followed by Denise Mammolito responding for the USA Women. The Italians earned another penalty shot but Marletta was sent away by Johnson and again by Maggie Steffens on the rebound. Midway through the period, Raney rang the register again for her third of the contest and Marletta scored her third for Italy on a player advantage. Steffens found her first two goals of the day on the ensuing possessions to regain the lead before Raney added her fourth score, leading to a timeout from Italy. The stoppage did not help the Italians slow down Raney as she beat the buzzer in the quarter for her fifth goal and a 9-5 lead after three.
On the opening possession of the fourth, Giulia Viacava converted on a power play for Italy. Defenses picked back up at this point until the Americans broke through four minutes later with a player advantage goal from Tara Prentice. The remainder of the game was scoreless again as Team USA beat Italy, 10-6.
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Scoring -Â Stats via World Aquatics
USA 10 (2, 1, 6, 1) J. Raney 5, M. Steffens 2, M. Musselman 1, D. Mammolito 1, T. Prentice 1
ITA 6 (1, 2, 2, 1) C. Marletta 3, D. Bettini 1, S. Avegno 1, G. Viacava 1
6-on-5: USA 6/13, ITA 2/6
Penalties: USA 0/1, ITA 2/3
Saves: USA 11 (A. Johnson), ITA 6 (C. Banchelli)
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