Bauru, Brazil - October 2 - The U.S. Junior National Teams concluded preliminary play at the PanAm Aquatics U19 Championships. The women beat Canada, 19-10, as Delaney Hook and Maci Magee scored four goals each while Ellison Brush and Lexi Nelson combined for 11 saves. The men defeated Mexico, 35-7, behind seven goals from Clay Carrington as Luke Harris and Rafael Suarez-Abraham combined for 11 saves. Early the next day, the women closed prelims with a 22-7 win over Brazil as EJ Hourigan and Julia Gustafsson scored four each while Brush and Nelson teamed up for five saves. Team USA advances to the semifinals where the men will play Canada at 1:30pm pt before the women square off with Mexico at 3:00pm pt. The matches will stream live on PanAm Aquatics Play with live stats available from 6-8 Sports.
The American women started the scoring when Katherine O'Dea beat the Canadian defense with a counterattack. Canada leveled before Hook put the United States in front 2-1 after one. Magee converted a power play opportunity to begin the second quarter before Canada got one back. O'Dea, Magee (2), and Hook deposited four more into the back of the net for a 7-2 halftime edge.
Team USA put the game out of reach with a seven-goal third period. Eden Coughran, O'Dea, McKenna Stuart (3), Magee, and Synnove Robinson supplied the offense opposite two fro the Canadians for a 14-4 score headed to the final frame. Canada outscored the Americans in the fourth quarter but it was not enough. Six goals from our northern neighbors outpaced five from Coughran (2), Hook (2), and Hourigan which did little but leave the final score at 19-10.
Team USA went 6/9 on power plays with no penalties attempted while Canada went 0/6 on power plays and 1/2 on penalties.
Scoring - Stats
USA 19 (2, 5, 7, 5) M. Magee 4, D. Hook 4, E. Coughran 3, K. O'Dea 3, M. Stuart 3, E. Hourigan 1, S. Robinson 1
CAN 10 (1, 1, 2, 6) M. Pineda-McLean 5, C. Milleker-Shyiak 3, C. Burnatowski 1, J. Linthicum 1
Saves - USA - E. Brush 6, L. Nelson 5 - CAN - A. Barkova 8
6x5 - USA - 6/9 - CAN - 0/6
Penalties - USA - 0/0 - CAN - 1/2
The men's match got underway with a counterattack strike from Ellis Culleton followed by goals from Carrington (3), Trent Smith, and Gian Sarimsakci before a Mexican answer. Jackson Shaw capped the quarter with a power play goal to give the Americans a 7-1 advantage at the end of the first. Carrington continued his big day to start the second prior to goals from Sarimsakci and Culleton. Mexico hit on back-to-back attempts before goals from Diego Dantas, Peter Saunders, Carrington, Culleton, and Reed Hanna (2). A power play goal from the Mexicans set the halftime score at 16-4 for Team USA.
The United States' offense exploded in the third period. Sarimsakci, Saunders, Nate Simoncelli, Culleton, Hanna, and Kane Fogg scored before a lone goal from Mexico. From there, the Americans continued with goals from Saunders, Jett Taylor (2), Shaw (2), Carrington, and Smith for a 29-5 lead after three. The fourth quarter was all window dressing as six United States goals from Sarimsakci (3), Fogg, Carrington, and Hanna overcame two Mexican scores to confirm the 35-7 win.
Team USA went 5/10 on power plays and 3/3 on penalties while Mexico went 2/10 on power plays and 1/2 on penalties.
Scoring - Stats
USA 35 (7, 9, 13, 6) C. Carrington 7, G. Sarimsakci 6, E. Culleton 4, R. Hanna 4, P. Saunders 3, J. Shaw 3, K. Fogg 2, T. Smith 2, J. Taylor 2, D. Dantas 1, N. Simoncelli 1
MEX 7 (1, 3, 1, 2) D. Maldonado 2, I. Cheline 1, J. Nunes 1, I. Mendoza 1, G. Robles 1, A. Romero 1
Saves - USA - L. Harris 6, R. Suarez-Abraham 5 - MEX - A. Rivera 4, J. Morales Ontiveros 2
6x5 - USA - 5/10 - MEX - 2/10
Penalties - USA - 3/3 - MEX - 1/2
Early the next morning, the women officially concluded the preliminary round against the host nation of Brazil. The American defense showed up to start as it shut down the Brazilians in the first quarter while Magee (2), Stuart, and Gustafsson set the score at 4-0 after the first. The two sides traded goals in the second period as Brazil struck first before another from Gustafsson. The hosts got two back prior to back-to-back goals from Hourigan. The Brazilians found the back of the net on a power play late but O'Dea responded for the United States who held an 8-4 advantage at the half.
The home team scored first in the second half but Gustafsson, Hourigan, and Harper Price answered with three straight. Two more scores from Brazil were sandwiched between Hook and Robinson goals before Stuart and Madison Mack added on for a 15-7 lead headed to the final frame. Robinson, Didi Evans, Magee, Teodora Diaconu, Hook, Hourigan, and Gustafsson supplied American goals in the fourth quarter to solidify the 22-7 victory.
Team USA went 8/11 on power plays and 4/4 on penalties while Brazil went 3/9 on power plays and 1/1 on penalties.
Scoring - Stats
USA 22 (4, 4, 7, 7) J. Gustafsson 4, E. Hourigan 4, M. Magee 3, D. Hook 2, S. Robinson 2, M. Stuart 2, T. Diaconu 1, D. Evans 1, M. Mack 1, K. O'Dea 1, H. Price 1
BRA 7 (0, 4, 3, 0) M. Nascimento 2, C. Dos Santos 1, M. Eduarda Santos 1, L. Furtado 1, E. Rodrigues 1, D. Samapio 1
Saves - USA - E. Brush 3, L. Nelson 2 - BRA - M. Dos Santos 6, I. Dos Santos 4
6x5 - USA - 8/11 - BRA - 3/9
Penalties - USA - 4/4 - BRA - 1/1
