Team USA wins gold

The United States senior national women’s water polo team beat Italy, 11-6, on Monday to win the Olympic Qualification Tournament in Gouda, the Netherlands.

Makenzie Fischer scored three goals for Team USA, and Ashleigh Johnson made 10 saves. While Olympic qualification had already been achieved for Team USA following Saturday’s quarterfinal win over France, the final results of this event will impact the draw for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Former CdM star Maddie Musselman also scored in the gold-medal game for Team USA, which also features ex-Newport Harbor and USC star Kaleigh Gilchrist. Courtney Mathewson and Kiley Neushul added two goals each for Team USA, which dominated the second half after finishing the first half tied, 5-5. Musselman scored the final goal of the game.

Team USA also beat Spain, 13-7, in the Olympic Qualification Tournament semifinals on Sunday. Neushul, Melissa Seidemann and Fischer all scored three goals for the Americans, and Musselman added two.

— Matt Szabo