Dubrovnik, Croatia - September 6 - The USA Women won the inaugural gold medal at the 2026 World Aquatics Water Polo 4x4 Open Championships in Dubrovnik and the USA Men finished in sixth place. Ryann Neushul was named Tournament MVP following play while Lauren Steele finished the tournament with 57 saves at 64% save percentage across seven games. In the men's fifth place match, Marko Vavic and AJ Rossman scored three each as Chris Whitelegge notched 10 saves in the cage.
The women's gold medal game was a rematch with Spain from Day 1 of the tournament. Team captain Rachel Fattal scored the first two goals of the match before a Spanish answer. Neushul doubled the advantage and Jenna Flynn confirmed a 4-1 first set victory for a 1-0 lead.
In the second, it was Neushul with two quick goals to start prior to Spain getting one back. The Spanish side took the lead with about one minute remaining but a fourth exclusion in the set allowed Jewel Roemer to step up and level from a bonus penalty shot before scoring again for the set-winner with seven seconds left. The 4-3 triumph gave Team USA a 2-0 match edge.
The decisive third set was as low-scoring as it got the entire tournament for the Americans who proved there was another way to win. First, Jenna Flynn converted a penalty shot chance before nearly three minutes of scoreless action. The United States drew another four exclusions throughout the set which allowed Roemer to convert another bonus penalty shot with 1:33 to play. The 2-0 scoreline held through the final buzzer and the USA Women won the first-ever Water Polo 4x4 Open Championships gold medal with a seventh consecutive 3-0 victory.
Team USA went 2/4 on power plays and 1/2 on penalties while Spain went 1/2 on power plays and 1/2 on penalties.
Scoring - Stats
USA 3 (4, 4, 2) R. Neushul 3, J. Roemer 3, R. Fattal 2, J. Flynn 2
ESP 0 (1, 3, 0) I. Piralkova Coello 2, C. Penalver Granero 1, L. Rodriguez 1
Saves - USA - L. Steele 7 - ESP - M. Terre Marti 4
6x5 - USA - 2/4 - ESP - 1/2
Penalties - USA - 1/2 - ESP - 1/2
In the semifinal round, the USA Women took on Australia. Jenna Flynn started the scoring from five meters and Neushul followed on the counterattack. Neushul scored again on a power play before Australia rallied for three straight scores to close the set tied, 3-3. In extra time, a fourth Australian exclusion led to an American penalty shot and Jenna Flynn buried it to win set one 4-3 and grab a 1-0 lead.
Jordan Raney began the second set with a nice goal and then Neushul added a pair of scores. After a close first set, Team USA turned up the defensive pressure. Raney and Roemer each scored later for a 5-0 set victory and 2-0 edge.
The third set started when Fattal scored on a power play strike and continued with scores from Roemer and Jenna Flynn. Neushul kept it up as well with two more goals before Australian got one back. Neushul and Fattal confirmed a 7-1 set and 3-0 match victory with late goals.
Team USA went 3/3 on power plays and 1/3 on penalties while Australia went 1/5 on power plays with no penalties attempted.
Scoring - Stats
USA 3 (4, 5, 7) R. Neushul 7, J. Flynn 3, R. Fattal 2, J. Raney 2, J. Roemer 2
AUS 0 (3, 0, 1) J. Marsden 2, J. Higgs 1, P. Pedley 1
Saves - USA - L. Steele 6 - AUS - J. Higgs 7
6x5 - USA - 3/3 - AUS - 1/5
Penalties - USA - 1/3 - AUS - 0/0
The men's fifth place game began with good defense each way. Georgia got on the board midway though the first set and with under one minute left, Stefan Vavic leveled the score. Georgia retook the lead but gave Marko Vavic a penalty shot to knot the score which he converted. The first set went to extra time to determine a winner and Georgia eventually scored on a five meter direct shot for a 3-2 set win and 1-0 lead.
The Georgians scored to begin the second before Jake Howerton leveled on a power play. More fantastic defense ensued until the set also went into extra time, culminating in a Georgian power play goal for a 2-1 win and 2-0 match edge.
The Americans battled back in the second half. Marko Vavic scored to begin and AJ Rossman added to the lead. Georgia answered but JP Ohl pushed the lead back to two. Two more goals from Georgia left the game tied at three when Marko Vavic stepped up with a buzzer beater to win the set 4-3 and stay alive, now down 2-1.
The offense fell flat for the first half of the third until Rossman scored on a man advantage. Georgia eventually leveled with under one minute left and a third set went into extra time. There, a five meter direct shot golden goal from Rossman won the set 2-1 and kept the match going into penalties with a 2-2 tie.
The penalty shootout went without a hitch through five rounds until Georgia stopped the sixth American attempt to claim the shootout 6-5 and the match 3-2.
Team USA went 4/8 on power plays and 1/1 on penalties before the shootout while Georgia went 2/3 on power plays with no penalties attempted before the shootout.
Scoring - Stats
USA 2 (2, 1, 4, 2, 5) M. Vavic 3, A. Rossman 3, J. Howerton 1, J. Ohl 1, S. Vavic 1
GEO 3 (3, 2, 3, 1, 6) L. Giorgadze 3, G. Meskhi 2, D. Chkheidze 1, D. Kikaleishvili 1, M. Malyshau 1
Saves - USA - C. Whitelegge 10 - GEO - B. Kapanadze 11
6x5 - USA - 4/8 - GEO - 2/3
Penalties - USA - 1/1 - GEO - 0/0
In the classification round, the USA Men faced Montenegro. The Montenegrins scored first but Carson Kranz was there to counter. Another from Montenegro proceeded its fourth exclusion leaving Marko Vavic an opportunity from the penalty stripe and he converted. A late penalty shot save from Whitelegge led to Marko Vavic beating the buzzer for a 3-2 set and 1-0 match advantage.
Howerton scored on a penalty shot early in the second and Marko Vavic did the same just over two minutes in. Then, a bonus penalty shot was awarded to Team USA and Marko Vavic put that in as well. Rossman and Ohl scored to increase the advantage so a late Montenegrin goal did little to disrupt the 5-2 set victory and a 2-0 match lead.
Stefan Vavic began the third with a counterattack goal before Montenegro responded. Montenegro took the lead later in the set before Rossman knotted things up with a counterattack strike. Four exclusions on the United States let Montenegro score on a penalty shot to win the third 3-2 and stay alive in a 2-1 deficit.
Montenegro kept the momentum going into the fourth with an early goal before Marko Vavic and Stefan Vavic put two goals away for an American lead. Marko Vavic added another but Montenegro tied the set up with two straight. Marko Vavic and Stefan Vavic did it again late to give the United States a 5-3 fourth set victory and a 3-1 match win.
Team USA went 2/3 on power plays and 2/4 on penalties while Montenegro went 0/4 on power plays and 0/3 on penalties.
Scoring - Stats
USA 3 (3, 5, 2, 5) M. Vavic 7, S. Vavic 3, A. Rossman 2, C. Kranz 1, J. Howerton 1, J. Ohl 1
MNE 1 (2, 2, 3, 3) D. Radovic 5, T. Matijasevic 2, L. Murisic 1, M. Hadzic 1, V. Radovic 1
Saves - USA - C. Whitelegge 11 - MNE - L. Andric 7
6x5 - USA - 2/3 - MNE - 0/4
Penalties - USA - 2/4 - MNE - 0/3
