Bauru, Brazil - October 4 - The U.S. Junior National Teams won gold medals today with two victories over the host nation Brazil at the PanAm Aquatics U19 Championships. The women won 20-8 as Maci Magee scored four goals while Ellison Brush notched eight saves. The men prevailed 19-13 behind five goals each from Reed Hanna and Ellis Culleton along with ten saves by Luke Harris. Following competition, individual awards were handed out to the top performers in Bauru. Magee and Clay Carrington earned MVP honors and Harris was named Best Goalkeeper of the men's tournament.

The women's gold medal match began with three scoreless minutes as both teams settled in. Eden Coughran broke through with the game's first goal but Brazil leveled the score quickly. Katherine O'Dea put the Americans ahead again before the hosts responded. O'Dea and McKenna Stuart scored on either side of a Brazilian goal as both teams went back and forth. Late in the opening frame, Brazil tied things up once again but Julia Gustafsson beat the first quarter with a power play goal to give the United States a 5-4 lead. In the second period, Magee doubled the advantage and the hosts had an answer but Magee came right back with one of her own to reestablish the two-goal cushion. One minute later, O'Dea notched a first half hat trick for Team USA who held an 8-5 edge at the break.

Harper Price scored to begin the third quarter in which the Americans took control. EJ Hourigan, Magee, and Delany Hook followed with consecutive goals before Brazil got one back. Teodora Diaconu and Hourigan each found the back of the net in the final two minutes for a 14-6 lead after three quarters. Magee put away her fourth score early in the final frame prior to goals from Madison Mack, Diaconu, Hourigan, and Synnove Robinson to extend the lead. From there, the hosts scored twice and Diaconu put the finishing touches on the 20-8 victory to claim gold in Bauru.

Team USA went 4/10 on power plays and 3/3 on penalties while Brazil went 4/11 on power plays and 1/2 on penalties.

Scoring - Stats
USA 20 (5, 3, 6, 6) M. Magee 4, T. Diaconu 3, E. Hourigan 3, K. O'Dea 3, E. Coughran 1, J. Gustafsson 1, D. Hook 1, M. Mack 1, H. Price 1, S. Robinson 1, M. Stuart 1
BRA 8 (4, 1, 1, 2) M. Nascimento 3, E. Rodrigues 2, A. Beatriz Maximo 1, M. Eduarda Santos 1, T. Fernandes 1
Saves - USA - E. Brush 8 - BRA - M. Dos Santos 7, I. Dos Santos 1
6x5 - USA - 4/10 - BRA - 4/11
Penalties - USA - 3/3 - BRA - 1/2

Team USA got another chance to face Brazil in the men's gold medal match, after losing following penalties earlier in the tournament, and it did not disappoint. Two minutes in, Brazil struck first on a power play opportunity but Hanna quickly returned the favor to level the score. The hosts took another lead via penalty shot before Jackson Shaw and Culleton flipped the script for the United States. Another Brazilian goal proceeded a second from Shaw for a 4-3 lead after one. Gian Sarimsakci and Hanna began the second quarter with a pair of goals before Brazil answered with two of its own. Culleton, Carrington, and Hanna (2) closed out the half with four more to give the Americans a 10-5 edge at the break.

Both teams struggled to score in the first few minutes of the third period but Peter Saunders put an end to the drought before the hosts netted two. Culleton and Trent Smith increased the advantage prior to a late penalty goal from the Brazilians which left the United States with a 13-8 lead headed to the final frame. The two sides traded goals to begin the fourth as Sarimsakci and Hanna scored with a response from Brazil both times. Then, Culleton (2) and Saunders found the back of the net on three straight but the hosts replicated the feat as well. Happy to trade goals as time wound down, the Americans tacked on one more from Shaw to solidify the 19-13 win and earn gold in Bauru.

Team USA went 8/17 on power plays and 3/3 on penalties while Brazil went 3/15 on power plays and 4/6 on penalties.

Scoring - Stats
USA 19 (4, 6, 3, 6) E. Culleton 5, R. Hanna 5, J. Shaw 3, G. Sarimsakci 2, P. Saunders 2, C. Carrington 1, T. Smith 1
BRA 13 (3, 2, 3, 5) H. Martins 3, L. Avallone 2, M. Winter 2, M. Gabiolli 1, F. Gomes 1, L. Henrique Da Cruz 1, E. Leite 1, D. Martins 1, N. Zibecchi 1
Saves - USA - L. Harris 10 - BRA - E. Batist 4, V. Hugo Mendes 3
6x5 - USA - 8/17 - BRA - 3/15
Penalties - USA - 3/3 - BRA - 4/6