Zagreb, Croatia - August 9 - The USA Cadet Men lost to Serbia 13-11 after penalties today in the bronze medal match at the World Aquatics U16 World Championships. Grayson Taylor led the charge with five goals scored while goalkeeper Alistair Sterrett tallied seven saves before the shootout. Team USA finishes fourth in the world following a 5-2 record in Zagreb.
This contest started as a tight, low-scoring affair where Serbia had the first word just over two minutes in and added another via penalty in the final minute for a 2-0 lead after one.
Taylor got Team USA on the board early in the second quarter but Serbia came back to score two consecutive goals. Taylor then earned an exclusion and put away his second score on the power play before another Serbian goal. Team captain Aden Shin got on the scoresheet from a penalty shot goal late to set the score at 5-3 for Serbia at the half.
The Serbians kept it up with another goal to begin the third period and then the United States got one back from a Hunter Coleman cross cage goal off nice ball movement. On the ensuing possession, Serbia earned a penalty but Sterrett came up with a big penalty shot save. Team USA halved the deficit when Channing Wigo sent a skip shot into the back of the net and leveled the score when Taylor registered a hat trick on a kick catch-and-shoot. Serbia regained a 7-6 advantage near the end of the period.
The Americans started the quarter with an equalizer on the counterattack by Taylor for his fourth of the day before the Serbians answered. Then, Taylor leveled the score again with an outstanding flip shot over the goalkeeper for his fifth and Coleman gave the United States the lead when he found some space in the near corner with under three minutes in regulation. Serbia knotted things up 9-9 from there to send the bronze medal match into a penalty shootout.
Serbia began the shootout with a goal before Coleman answered. Sterrett saved the second Serbian attempt but the Americans missed on the other side. Serbia and Shin traded scores before a goal and a stop from Serbia. A fourth Serbian conversion confirmed its 13-11 win after penalties.
Team USA went 3/6 on power plays and 1/2 on penalties before the shootout while Serbia went 1/2 on power plays and 1/2 on penalties before the shootout.
Scoring - Stats
USA 11 (0, 3, 3, 3, 2) G. Taylor 5, H. Coleman 2, A. Shin 1, C. Wigo 1
SRB 13 (2, 3, 2, 2, 4) A. Cubrilovic 4, U. Muncan 2, M. Abadzic 1, P. Frenc 1, D. Samardzic 1
Saves - USA - A. Sterrett 7 - SRB - N. Palezevic 5
6x5 - USA - 3/6 - SRB - 1/2
Penalties - USA - 1/2 - SRB - 1/2
