USA Women Battle Back, But Fall To Spain 13-12 In Bronze Medal Match

Singapore - July 23 - The USA Women's National Team staged a furious second half rally but came up one goal short, falling to Spain 13-12 in the bronze medal match at the 2025 World Aquatics World Championships. The result gives Team USA their first fourth place finish at the World Championships since 2001 in Fukuoka, Japan. Emma Lineback had a monster night for Team USA, scoring five goals including several during their comeback to pace the offense. Amanda Longan went the distance in cage recording eight saves. Team USA ends play in Singapore with a 4-2 record earning wins over China, Netherlands, Argentina and Japan paired with losses to Greece and Spain.

Spain opened the scoring with a tally a little over a minute into the match but Ryann Neushul returned fire, tying the game at 1-1 with 6:39 to go in the first. A similar scenario played out moments later as Spain went up 2-1 only to see Neushul tie the game moments later at 2-2. Spain then went on a surge scoring three in a row spanning the end of the first quarter and the start of the second. They led 4-2 after one and built that to 5-2 with 7:22 to play in the first half. Team USA then started their long run of battling back in this contest. Lineback and Jewel Roemer scored to make it 5-4 with 4:28 to play in the first half. Late in the half Spain found another burst, putting together two goals in the final 90 seconds to grab a 7-4 advantage at intermission.

Early in the third quarter Spain converted on a penalty, taking their largest lead of the night at 8-4. For a good chunk of the quarter every time Team USA would score, Spain would follow with a goal to keep the lead at four. It was three goals from Emily Ausmus in the quarter that kept Team USA within shouting distance. Then the United States got a little momentum late in the quarter as Lineback connected on two straight player advantage scores to cut the deficit to two at 11-9 with play moving to the fourth. 

The Lineback show continued in the fourth as she converted on a power play with a little over five minutes to play to make it 11-10. The teams traded goals over the next few minutes with Spain going up two with 3:01 to play. Lineback had one more strike with time winding down to cut the deficit down to one. Team USA had the ball late but comitted a turnover foul and would get no closer in this one as Spain ran out the clock to confirm the one goal win and the bronze medal. 

Team USA went 9/17 on power plays and 0/1 on penalties while Spain went 4/10 on power plays and 2/2 on penalties. 

Scoring - Stats
USA 12 (2, 2, 5, 3) E. Lineback 5, E. Ausmus 3, R. Neushul 2, J. Roemer 2
ESP 13 (4, 3, 4, 2) A. Espar 4, B. Ortiz 2, P. Leiton 1, P. Camus 1, A. Ruiz 1, P. Crespi 1, P. Prats 1, D. Moreno 1, C. Penalver 1
Saves - USA - A. Longan 8 - ESP - Martina Terre 10
6x5 - USA - 9/17 - ESP - 4/10
Penalties - USA - 0/1 - ESP - 2/2