USA Women Win Gold At FINA Youth World Championship With Victory over Canada

USA Youth Women Win Gold At FINA Youth World Championship With Victory over Canada
 
Madrid, Spain - August 31 - The USA Youth Women's National Team won their first ever FINA Youth World Championship title following a 5-4 win over Canada. The gold medal caps an undefeated week for Team USA. Aria Fischer scored four goals to lead the offense while Carlee Kapana was named the top goalkeeper of the tournament. Every match from the tournament was webcast and is available on-demand. To see the complete streaming playlist featuring action from each day of competition click here, the list is available on the right side of the screen. To visit the official tournament website, click here. For complete USA results and recaps, click here.

Team USA got off to a great start in the first period opening up a 2-0 lead after the first eight minutes thanks to two goals from Aria Fischer. Canada struck first in the second period to draw within one at 2-1 but Makenzie Fischer answered with a goal for a 3-1 lead. Canada managed one more goal in the second period and the United States held a 3-2 lead at halftime. Aria Fischer scored her third goal to open play in the third but Canada responded with a goal later in the period to leave the United States still ahead just one goal at 4-3 going to the fourth. Canada tied the game in the fourth on a goal from Kelly Matthews but Team USA went back to Aria Fischer who delivered her fourth and final goal to take a 5-4 lead. From there the USA defense did the job and kept Canada off the board on the way to the victory.

Both teams struggled on the power play with Team USA going 1/8 and Canada going 1/5. Neither team attempted a penalty shot. The United States went 6-0 during the FINA Youth World Championship earning victories over Hungary, South Africa, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece and Canada. The gold medal marks the second major championship of the summer for the Women's Youth National Team as they earned gold at the UANA Junior Pan American Championship this past July in Riverside, CA. This was just the second ever FINA Youth World Championship, the USA Women took fourth place at the first edition back in December of 2012 in Perth, Australia. 

Scoring
USA 5 (2, 1, 1, 1) A. Fischer 4, M. Fischer 1
CAN 4 (0, 2, 1, 1)
6x5 - USA 1/8 - CAN 1/5
Penalties - USA - 0/0 - CAN 0/0

FINA Press Release:

USA clinches World Youth title in Madrid
2nd FINA WORLD WOMEN’S YOUTH WATER POLO CHAMPIONSHIPS
USA, whose team remained unbeaten in the seven-day tournament, won an intense battle against Canada in a tight 5-4 to clinch the title at the FINA World Women’s Youth Water Polo Championships (18 & Under), organised in Madrid, Spain from August 25-31, 2014. Two years ago at the inaugural edition in Perth (AUS), the American squad had finished at the podium’s door.

In the battle for seventh and eighth places, host Spain crushed China 1-7 while Italy proved too strong for the Netherlands, winning 8-11 to take fifth spot in the overall standings.

The battle for the minor medal played out between strong podium contenders, defending champion Greece and runner-up Hungary, with the Magyar team edging their rivals just by one goal (10-11) after penalties. 

Final Ranking

1. United States of America
2. Canada
3. Hungary
4. Greece, 5. Italy, 6. Netherlands, 7. Spain, 8. China, 9. Russia, 10. Japan, 11. Australia, 12. South Africa, 13. New Zealand, 14. Brazil, 15. Puerto Rico, 16. Germany.  
 
HOT LINKS

- Game reports
- Full results

On site report from FINA Technical Water Polo Committee Member Bill Shaw

USA wins Gold – by 1 goal over Silver medalist Canada
 
The two undefeated countries from the Americas - Canada and the United States of America met in the Gold Medal game of the FINA Youth Women's World Water Polo Championships in Madrid, Spain on August 31, 2014. The USA arrived at the final having defeated Hungary, South Africa, Germany, the Netherlands and Greece. Canada, their northern neighbours, had prevailed over Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Italy and Hungary.
 
The game began and by the end of the first period, the USA, playing with more energy, had established a 2 goal lead while holding the Canadians scoreless. Canada got on the scoreboard in the second period and had cut the deficit to 1 by the halftime break with the USA leading by a score of 3-2.  The third period was played even with the US leading 4-3 going into the final quarter.  Canada rallied to tie the score at 4 with 5 minutes to play but with only 2 minutes to go in the game, Aria Fisher, with her 3rd goal of the game, put the USA ahead 5-4 and they held on to win the gold medal.  The game featured strong goaltending by both the American goalkeeper, Carlee Kapana, - who was honoured as the top goalkeeper of the tournament and Ymane Hage in the Canadian nets.
 
The two other UANA countries participating were not quite as successful as were the representatives from Zones 3 and 4. Puerto Rico beat Germany 10 - 5 to finish 15th while the team from Brasil, short handed because of injury, lost their final game to New Zealand and took the 14th placing. However, Allison Fernández from Puerto Rico and Mariana Duarte from Brasil were both among the top scorers in the tournament. Aria Fisher lead the USA in scoring and Emma Wright did the same for Canada.