GWANGJU, South Korea – For the second time in four days, the United States defeated Hungary, this time claiming a 9-4 win on Saturday morning to secure fifth place at the 2015 World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea.
Jordan Raney, who had scored three times in Team USA’s first six games, fired home four while Jamie Neushul notched her fourth hat trick of the tournament. After going 1-2-1 in pool play, the U.S. went 2-1 in its final three games to come in fifth out of the 10-team field.
Saturday’s victory was the United States’ second against Hungary. On July 7, Neushul’s six goals paced the USA to a 10-8 win over the Hungarians for its first victory of the tournament.
Up two at halftime on Saturday, the U.S. locked down Hungary and allowed just one score in the final 16 minutes to pull away. A trio of third-period goals did the trick beginning with Raney on Team USA’s first possession of the second half.
The reigning MPSF Newcomer of the Year scored off an assist from freshman Madison Berggren at 7:01. Berggren herself added an unassisted power-play goal less than two minutes later (5:16), her ninth of the tournament, to put her country up 7-3.
Hungary’s final goal came from Diana Ziegler came with 4:40 on the clock in the third, but Berggren set up Neushul for another at 1:52 to extend the United States advantage to 8-4.
Berggren again played the role of facilitator when she hit Raney for the game’s final tally with 5:32 to go in the fourth quarter. Berggren was responsible for four of the United States’ seven assists against Hungary and led her squad with 10 assists in seven games.
An amazing experience at @WUGUSA. Ended with 9-4 win over Hungary for 5th place! #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/lmpsyqclZc
— Stanford Water Polo (@Stanfordh2opolo) July 11, 2015
A Raney goal just over four minutes after the ball dropped was the only action of the first quarter, but a high-powered second saw seven combined strikes, including four from the United States. Raney and Neushul went back-to-back at 5:23 and 4:56 and later in the period Cassidy Papa and Neushul did the same when the clock read 2:07 and 1:30, respectively.
Gabby Stone stopped 10 of the 14 shots she faced in the cage and finished her tournament with 58 total saves on 98 shots for a 59.1 save percentage.
Neushul led the U.S. at the World University Games in goals, scoring 18 (2.6 per game) and freshman Kat Klass joined her in double figures rattling the cage 11 times (1.6 per game).
Defensively, Raney contributed five field blocks in South Korea, while Cassidy Papa and Shannon Cleary added four each. Gabby Stone and Jamie Neushul had nine steals apiece, Dani Jackovich added seven and Kat Klass five.
The international competition continues for other current and former Stanford student-athletes this week in Canada. Five Cardinal - Makenzie Fischer, Ashley Grossman ’15, Kiley Neushul ’15, Melissa Seidemann ’13, Maggie Steffens - are on the roster for the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, where the United States is already 2-0.
Stanford vs. Hungary
July 11, 2015 • Gwangju, South Korea
HUN 0 – 3 – 1 – 0 = 4
STAN 1 – 4 – 3 – 1 = 9
Hungary Goals: Zsofia Polak,Vivien Takacs, Fanny Valyi, Diana Ziegler
Hungary Saves: Anna Horvath 9, Diana Agnes Gundl 1
Stanford Goals: Jordan Raney 4, Jamie Neushul 3, Madison Berggren, Cassidy Papa
Stanford Saves: Gabby Stone 10