Bauru, Brazil - September 28 - The U.S. Junior National Teams each picked up opening day victories today at the PanAm Aquatics U19 Championships. The women defeated Mexico, 25-0, behind five goals from Maci Magee and ten combined saves from goalkeepers Ellison Brush and Lexi Nelson. The men beat Peru, 26-4, as Jett Taylor scored six goals and goalkeeper Luke Harris notched seven saves. Team USA will face Canada tomorrow with the women beginning at 12pm pt and the men starting at 1:30pm pt. The matches will stream live on PanAm Aquatics Play with live stats available from 6-8 Sports.
The women's match began with a power play goal from Eden Coughran before EJ Hourigan and Harper Price added to the advantage. Coughran put away her second score followed by goals from Julia Gustafsson, McKenna Stuart (2), Teodora Diaconu, and Magee to leave the score at 9-0 after one. In the second, Coughran and Magee (2) fired in three more before Katherine O'Dea got on the scoresheet. Diaconu hit again and Synnove Robinson scored twice to close the half up 16-0.
Mexico held the Americans to just two goals in the third quarter as O'Dea and Madison Mack each scored once around the midway point. Nice saves both ways led to a scoreless second half of the period and an 18-0 edge at the end of three. The United States wrapped up a dominant victory in the fourth quarter with goals from Hourigan (2), Magee (2), Coughran, Gustafsson, and Diaconu to confirm the 25-0 win.
Team USA went 5/7 on power plays with no penalties attempted while Mexico went 0/0 on power plays with no penalties attempted.
Scoring - Stats
USA 25 (9, 7, 2, 7) M. Magee 5, E. Coughran 4, T. Diaconu 3, E. Hourigan 3, J. Gustafsson 2, K. O'Dea 2, M. Stuart 2, S. Robinson 2, M. Mack 1, H. Price 1
MEX 0 (0, 0, 0, 0)
Saves - USA - E. Brush 5, L. Nelson 5 - MEX - D. Trevino 6, G. Morales 2
6x5 - USA - 5/7 - MEX - 0/0
Penalties - USA - 0/0 - MEX - 0/0
On the men's side, Jackson Shaw and Reed Hanna got things started with goals in the opening minute. Hanna converted a penalty shot before Nate Simoncelli, Peter Saunders, Clay Carrington (2), and Taylor (2) closed the quarter with goals to set the score at 9-0. In the second, the Americans continued to apply offensive pressure. Saunders, Taylor, Carrington (2), and Shaw scored before Peru finally got one back with under one minute left in the half for a 14-1 scoreline at the break.
The third was a nearly identical quarter to the second. American goals from Taylor (2), Saunders, Trent Smith (2), and Simoncelli proceeded one from Peru which left the score 20-2 headed to the final frame. In the fourth, Taylor and Saunders kept up their big days before a third Peruvian goal. Simoncelli answered right back but Peru put home another on a power play. From there, the United States added three more from Saunders, Hanna, and Carrington to claim the 26-4 win.
Team USA went 1/2 on power plays and 4/5 on penalties while Peru went 2/9 on power plays and 1/1 on penalties.
Scoring - Stats
USA 26 (9, 5, 6, 6) J. Taylor 6, C. Carrington 5, P. Saunders 5, R. Hanna 3, N. Simoncelli 3, J. Shaw 2, T. Smith 2
PER 4 (0, 1, 1, 2) N. Hernandez 2, D. Gurbillon 1, D. Suni 1
Saves - USA - L. Harris 7 - PER - D. Rios 3
6x5 - USA - 1/2 - PER - 2/9
Penalties - USA - 4/5 - PER - 1/1
