Water Polo: Fischer helps Team USA win gold

Aria Fischer of Laguna Beach was part of the USA Water Polo Women’s Youth National Team that won the gold medal Saturday at the UANA Youth Pan American Championships at Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Fischer, 14, scored two goals in the gold medal game which Team USA won, 10-6, over Canada. The Laguna Beach High freshman started a 3-0 scoring run by the U.S. to start the fourth quarter to help the team open up a 9-4 advantage.

She is the youngest player on the Women’s National Youth Team and is a first-year member on the team.

Team USA compiled a 7-0 record at the tournament.

“I am very proud of the team and the way they handled themselves in a physical gold medal game,” USA Head Coach Natalie Benson said. “They went down early (3-2) in the first half and showed confidence and discipline in the way they battled back into the lead. Once we went ahead, the team never looked back.

“It is always great to win, but even better to win while representing the Stars and Stripes.”

Fischer played on the Laguna Beach Water Polo 14-and-under girls’ club team that competed last month at the Water Polo Junior Olympics.

Her older sister, Makenzie, a junior at Laguna Beach, was a member of the USA Water Polo Women’s Junior National Team that won the gold medal a week earlier at the 2013 FINA Women’s Junior World Championships at Volos, Greece.

— Mike Sciacca