USA Women's National Team lost their first match of the FINA World Championships
The USA Women's National Team lost their first match of the FINA World Championships, falling to Spain 9-6 earlier tonight in front of 3300 fans at the Piscines Bernat Picornell. Kami Craig (Santa Barbara, CA/USC/SBWPF) scored three goals in the loss and Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, MI/Michigan/NYAC) posted nine saves in net. The defeat sends Team USA to the 5th-8th place semifinals where they will meet the Netherlands on Wednesday at 5pm local time/11am et/8am pt.
Billed as a rematch of the 2012 Olympic Games, some faces changed for both sides but the intensity remained high. Spain scored on their opening possession, the first of four goals for Jennifer Pareja, to grab a 1-0 lead. Craig responded for the United States some two minutes later working inside for a score and a 1-1 game. Spain retaliated with a power play strike and a natural goal for a 3-1 lead with 3:24 remaining. Team USA answered on their next possession with a cross cage shot from Rachel Fattal (Seal Beach, CA/UCLA/SOCAL) for a goal and a 3-2 match. Spain drew a penalty moments later and converted the opportunity for a 4-2 lead going to the second.
The home team kept building to start the second period. Pareja connected on a power play for a 5-2 lead a little over a minute into the quarter. Craig delivered a backhand to halt the Spanish run and draw to 5-3 with 6:28 left in the first half. Team USA continued to chip away when Maggie Steffens (Danville, CA/Stanford/Diablo) cashed in on a penalty drawn by Kelly Rulon (San Diego, CA/UCLA/NYAC) for a 5-4 game and that was the score at halftime.
After the United States had failed on a couple of player advantage opportunites, Spain took advantage early in the third with a power play goal of their own for a 6-4 lead. Three minutes later Armstrong came up with a big save to halt a Spain player advantage try. Then Melissa Seidemann (Walnut Creek, CA/Stanford/Stanford) cleaned up a rebound with a backhand on a power play for a 6-5 game with 1:51 remaining in the third.
That was the score headed to the fourth, and the final period belonged to Spain. A power play goal with 5:11 to go put Spain ahead 7-5. Four minutes later with the United States looking to rally, Spain delivered a crucial blow as an outside shot was deflected in for a goal and an 8-5 lead with 1:37 left. Spain added another goal to take a 9-5 lead but Craig responded late with a score to leave the final margin at 9-6 in favor of Spain.
Team USA went 1/8 on power plays and 1/1 on penalties while Spain was 4/7 on power plays and 1/1 on penalties.
Scoring - Scoresheet
USA 6 (2, 2, 1, 1) K. Craig 3, M. Steffens 1, R. Fattal 1, M. Seidemann 1
ESP 9 (4, 1, 1, 3)
Saves - USA - B. Armstrong 9
6x5 - USA - 1/8 - ESP - 4/7
Penalties - USA - 1/1 - ESP - 1/1
Flash Quotes
"We're a physical team and they're a physical team and we knew that going into it. It's a battle, it's always a battle. This team's been together for two months, we lost alot of veterans and it's only normal, we've been training and been progressing each game which is great. Last year we had been together for three to four years training day in and day out. It's only normal that there is going to be more of a bond and more cohesion. This team is great, it is young, they are excited to play, we are getting experience, it just takes time." Kelly Rulon , USA Attacker
"I'm not too disappointed with how we played. I thought we played well enough to win, we just couldn't finish when we got in front of the goal. Our technical skills in regards to our passing and shooting were off but we were doing some nice things. We got some good looks, they made some really nice blocks. We didn't seem to have a whole lot of mustard on alot of the shots, we need to be in better fitness. It was a little more phsyical than we probably anticipated." Adam Krikorian , USA Head Coach
"We couldn't get the ball in the back of the net, it was a bit deflating but I was really proud about how right until the last thirty seconds of the game we never thought we would lose. We continued to fight and that is something to build on for the future." Adam Krikorian , USA Head Coach
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Greg Mescall
Director of Communications
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