Women’s Water Polo: Australia tops Team USA

LOS ALAMITOS — Football coaches often talk about coming out and punching the other team in the mouth.

While there were no punches thrown in the United States senior national women’s water polo team’s 8-7 exhibition loss to Australia on Tuesday night at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base, the physical play certainly irked Team USA Coach Adam Krikorian.

Krikorian called the Aussies the best team in the world after they beat Team USA for the third time in four meetings over the last 10 days. Australia also beat the United States twice at the “Water Polo in Rio” event in Brazil last week, including a shootout victory in the finals. Team USA earned the win on Monday night in La Jolla, 8-7, the first of the teams’ three-game exhibition series this week.

They conclude the three-game series Friday at 2 p.m. at Dos Pueblos High in Goleta.

“They’re really the most talented team in the world,” Krikorian said of Australia, despite the fact that Team USA won gold at the FINA World Championships in August, beating Australia in the semifinals. “No doubt in my mind, to be honest. They’re finally together and they look like they’re in great shape. I think they’re bigger and stronger than they were in 2012 [when they won bronze at the Olympics], and more experienced.”

Australia was able to get a number of goals out of center, especially with Team USA’s strongest two-meter defender, Melissa Seidemann, out with a hand injury. The Australians took control with a third-quarter flurry after being shut out for nearly the entire first half. Ashleigh Southern provided Australia’s first goal, a power-play strike with 14 seconds left in the half, but Team USA still had a 3-1 halftime advantage on goals by Kami Craig, Rachel Fattal and captain Maggie Steffens.

It wouldn’t last. Australia came back in the physical affair in the third quarter, taking its first lead of 5-4 on Bronwen Knox’s goal from center with 3:39 remaining in the quarter. Australia added a nice redirect goal from Rowie Webster and a backhand goal from center by Gemma Beadsworth, taking a 7-4 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Team USA got goals from former Laguna Beach High star Makenzie Fischer and former Los Alamitos standout Fattal to try to claw back, but Australia’s Glencora Ralph made it 8-6 when she scored near-corner from the right with 1:30 left in the game. Former Corona del Mar High star Maddie Musselman scored with 25 seconds left, but Team USA ran out of time.

Krikorian did not especially like the physical play from both sides. Team USA was three for eight on the power play, while Australia converted two of six chances, as well as a penalty shot. There were also plenty of physical fouls on the perimeter.

“I thought it was an ugly game,” Krikorian said. “The game was just too physical in my mind. We were probably just as physical as they were, and I don’t think the game should be played in that matter. Certainly it’s a physical game … but there’s a line. That game just turned into a wrestling match more than anything.

“Australia is the most physical team, and they’re bigger than us, so when the game’s called that way it makes it difficult for us. I’m not saying we don’t have a chance, but it certainly puts us in a little bit more difficult position.”

Musselman finished with a goal, an assist and an exclusion drawn for Team USA. Former Newport Harbor High and USC star Kaleigh Gilchrist added a steal.

Steffens and Fattal each scored twice for Team USA, and Ashleigh Johnson had nine saves and three steals.

Knox and Webster each scored twice to lead the way for Australia, while Ralph had a goal and two assists.

For Team USA, the goal is to keep improving in advance of the Olympic qualifying tournament in March in the Netherlands. After Friday’s series finale at Dos Pueblos, the United States plays the Netherlands on Dec. 13 at Mira Costa High.

Next comes the Holiday Cup at Corona del Mar High from Dec. 15-20, when Team USA will face off against Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.

Even with the three recent losses to Australia, Team USA is 34-5 in 2015.

“It’s hard to physically and mentally take that sometimes,” Musselman said of the physical play. “It’s more just adversity we have to overcome … we have to play through it. I think in those times that it gets physical, that’s when we get even more close as a team and we come together even more. We work for each other, and not just individually go out and be a superstar. It’s more of connecting, I’d say.

“We’ve been training with [Australia] for three or four days, and I would say we’ve grown to a whole new level as a team. Even training with China [earlier this month], we grew as a team as well, and I think you learn so much about other people on your team and you learn about other teams. I think that’s a big benefit of playing with such strong people, not only on our team but on other teams as well.”