Courtesy: USA Water Polo
Dubrovnik, Croatia – September 6 – The USA Ladies gained the inaugural gold medal on the 2026 World Aquatics Water Polo 4×4 Open Championships in Dubrovnik and the USA Males completed in sixth place. Ryann Neushul was named Event MVP following play whereas Lauren Steele completed the event with 57 saves at 64% save proportion throughout seven video games. Within the males’s fifth place match, Marko Vavic and AJ Rossman scored three every as Chris Whitelegge notched 10 saves within the cage.
The ladies’s gold medal recreation was a rematch with Spain from Day 1 of the event. Staff captain Rachel Fattal scored the primary two targets of the match earlier than a Spanish reply. Neushul doubled the benefit and Jenna Flynn confirmed a 4-1 first set victory for a 1-0 lead.
Within the second, it was Neushul with two fast targets to start out previous to Spain getting one again. The Spanish facet took the lead with about one minute remaining however a fourth exclusion within the set allowed Jewel Roemer to step up and degree from a bonus penalty shot earlier than scoring once more for the set-winner with seven seconds left. The 4-3 triumph gave Staff USA a 2-0 match edge.
The decisive third set was as low-scoring because it obtained all the event for the People who proved there was one other option to win. First, Jenna Flynn transformed a penalty shot likelihood earlier than practically three minutes of scoreless motion. America drew one other 4 exclusions all through the set which allowed Roemer to transform one other bonus penalty shot with 1:33 to play. The two-0 scoreline held by means of the ultimate buzzer and the USA Ladies gained the first-ever Water Polo 4×4 Open Championships gold medal with a seventh consecutive 3-0 victory.
Staff USA went 2/4 on energy performs and 1/2 on penalties whereas Spain went 1/2 on energy performs 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
6×5 – USA – 2/4 – ESP – 1/2
Penalties – USA – 1/2 – ESP – 1/2
Within the semifinal spherical, the USA Ladies took on Australia. Jenna Flynn began the scoring from 5 meters and Neushul adopted on the counterattack. Neushul scored once more on an influence play earlier than Australia rallied for 3 straight scores to shut the set tied, 3-3. In further time, a fourth Australian exclusion led to an American penalty shot and Jenna Flynn buried it to win set one 4-3 and seize a 1-0 lead.
Jordan Raney started the second set with a pleasant objective after which Neushul added a pair of scores. After a detailed first set, Staff USA turned up the defensive stress. Raney and Roemer every scored later for a 5-0 set victory and 2-0 edge.
The third set began when Fattal scored on an influence play strike and continued with scores from Roemer and Jenna Flynn. Neushul stored it up as properly with two extra targets earlier than Australian obtained one again. Neushul and Fattal confirmed a 7-1 set and 3-0 match victory with late targets.
Staff USA went 3/3 on energy performs and 1/3 on penalties whereas Australia went 1/5 on energy performs with no penalties tried.
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
6×5 – USA – 3/3 – AUS – 1/5
Penalties – USA – 1/3 – AUS – 0/0
The boys’s fifth place recreation started with good protection every manner. Georgia obtained on the board halfway although the primary set and with below one minute left, Stefan Vavic leveled the rating. Georgia retook the lead however gave Marko Vavic a penalty shot to knot the rating which he transformed. The primary set went to further time to find out a winner and Georgia ultimately scored on a 5 meter direct shot for a 3-2 set win and 1-0 lead.
The Georgians scored to start the second earlier than Jake Howerton leveled on an influence play. Extra implausible protection ensued till the set additionally went into further time, culminating in a Georgian energy play objective for a 2-1 win and 2-0 match edge.
The People battled again within the second half. Marko Vavic scored to start and AJ Rossman added to the lead. Georgia answered however JP Ohl pushed the lead again to 2. Two extra targets from Georgia left the sport tied at three when Marko Vavic stepped up with a buzzer beater to win the set 4-3 and keep alive, now down 2-1.
The offense fell flat for the primary half of the third till Rossman scored on a person benefit. Georgia ultimately leveled with below one minute left and a 3rd set went into further time. There, a 5 meter direct shot golden objective from Rossman gained the set 2-1 and stored the match going into penalties with a 2-2 tie.
The penalty shootout went and not using a hitch by means of 5 rounds till Georgia stopped the sixth American try to say the shootout 6-5 and the match 3-2.
Staff USA went 4/8 on energy performs and 1/1 on penalties earlier than the shootout whereas Georgia went 2/3 on energy performs with no penalties tried earlier than 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
6×5 – USA – 4/8 – GEO – 2/3
Penalties – USA – 1/1 – GEO – 0/0
Within the classification spherical, the USA Males confronted Montenegro. The Montenegrins scored first however Carson Kranz was there to counter. One other from Montenegro proceeded its fourth exclusion leaving Marko Vavic a chance from the penalty stripe and he transformed. A late penalty shot save from Whitelegge led to Marko Vavic beating the buzzer for a 3-2 set and 1-0 match benefit.
Howerton scored on a penalty shot early within the second and Marko Vavic did the identical simply over two minutes in. Then, a bonus penalty shot was awarded to Staff USA and Marko Vavic put that in as properly. Rossman and Ohl scored to extend the benefit so a late Montenegrin objective did little to disrupt the 5-2 set victory and a 2-0 match lead.
Stefan Vavic started the third with a counterattack objective earlier than Montenegro responded. Montenegro took the lead later within the set earlier than Rossman knotted issues up with a counterattack strike. 4 exclusions on america let Montenegro rating on a penalty shot to win the third 3-2 and keep alive in a 2-1 deficit.
Montenegro stored the momentum going into the fourth with an early objective earlier than Marko Vavic and Stefan Vavic put two targets away for an American lead. Marko Vavic added one other however Montenegro tied the arrange with two straight. Marko Vavic and Stefan Vavic did it once more late to offer america a 5-3 fourth set victory and a 3-1 match win.
Staff USA went 2/3 on energy performs and a pair of/4 on penalties whereas Montenegro went 0/4 on energy performs 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
6×5 – USA – 2/3 – MNE – 0/4
Penalties – USA – 2/4 – MNE – 0/3
