Ibague, Colombia - November 20 - The U.S. Women's Senior National Team opened play at the 2024 PanAm Water Polo Championships with a 20-9 win over Argentina. Emily Ausmus, Jovana Sekulic, Emma Lineback, and Rachel Gazzaniga all recorded hat tricks as Amanda Longan notched three saves in net for the Americans. Team USA returns to action in Ibague tomorrow versus Mexico at 2:30pm et/11:30am pt.
The United States started quickly in this contest with Gazzaniga, Lineback, and Ausmus all scoring for a 3-0 lead that it would never relinquish. Anahi Bacigalupo got Argentina on the board from five meters before Team USA scored three more in a row from Ausmus, Charlotte Raisin, and Lineback. The two teams traded goals to finish the opening period as Isabella Mastronardi and Ana Agnesina scored on either side of a goal from Allison Cohen leaving the Americans with a 7-3 advantage.
Cohen began the action in the second quarter as well with another score. After Julieta Auliel took advantage of a penalty shot for Argentina, the United States scored thrice in a row via Gazzaniga, Lucy Haaland-Ford, and Ava Stryker. Mastronardi and Auliel answered but Sekulic converted a player advantage on the last offensive possession as Team USA doubled up Argentina at halftime, 12-6.
After nearly three minutes of scoreless play in the second half, Sekulic scored again to widen the lead. Argentina responded with a goal from Maitena Romano prior to another score from Sekulic and Gazzaniga, marking each player's hat trick for the day. Mastronardi found the back of the net with two and a half to play before Ausmus joined the hat trick barrage to end the period with a 16-8 lead.
In the final frame, Tara Prentice wrote herself into the scorebook and Bacigalupo scored again for Argentina. From there, the Americans put the game away with goals from Julia Bonaguidi, Lineback, and Raisin to confirm a comfortable 20-9 victory.
The United States went 1/12 on player advantages and 2/2 on penalties attempted while Argentina went 0/14 on player advantages and 3/3 on penalties attempted.
Scoring -Â Scoresheet
USA 20 (7, 5, 4, 4)Â E. Ausmus 3, J. Sekulic 3, E. Lineback 3, R. Gazzaniga 3, A. Cohen 2, C. Raisin 2, T. Prentice 1, J. Bonaguidi 1, L. Haaland-Ford 1, A. Stryker 1
ARG 9 (3, 3, 2, 1) I. Mastronardi 3, J. Auliel 2, A. Bacigalupo 2, A. Agnesina 1, M. Romano 1
Saves - USA - A. Longan 3 - ARG - L. Canales 4, N. Stegmayer 1
6x5 - USA - 1/12 - ARG - 0/14
Penalties - USA - 2/2 - ARG - 3/3
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