STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford powered the United States to its sixth consecutive FINA World League Super Final title in Budapest, Hungary with an 10-9 victory over Italy in the championship on Sunday. With the win, the U.S. qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games next summer in Tokyo, where Team USA will be going for its third straight gold medal.
Seven of the 15 players on the United States roster were current or former Cardinal in alumnae Jamie Neushul, Kiley Neushul, Jordan Raney, Melissa Seidemann and Maggie Steffens and current undergraduates Aria and Makenzie Fischer.
Makenzie Fischer, who scored four times in the first five games of the tournament, erupted for four goals in the final to lead the USA attack and was named player of the match. Fischer scored three of her goals in the third quarter to erase a 4-3 halftime deficit, while Aria Fischer's fourth-quarter strike gave the United States a late, two-goal advantage. Kiley Neushul's goal in the second quarter pushed the U.S. to its first lead, 3-2.
Aria Fischer and Steffens were Stanford's leading scorers in Budapest, pouring in 10 goals apiece. Fischer scored a United States, single-game high five in a 21-6 victory over China in the quarterfinals, while Steffens had hat tricks against China and in a group-stage win over Canada (15-4). Fischer was named player of the match for that quarterfinal performance.
Makenzie Fischer scored a total of eight goals at the event, while Kiley Neushul put in six and Raney and Seidemann three each.
In all, Cardinal players were responsible for 41 of Team USA's 78 goals at the World League Super Final (52.6 percent).