Great Women’s Water Polo Action on ESPNU: Hungary vs. USA Starts Tonight
Monday’s announcement out of Irvine, home to USA Water Polo, could not have been better for fans of the sport in America. The American women, two-time defending Olympic champions (2012, 2016) and three-time FINA World Champions (2015, 2017, 2019) will host the Hungarian national team tonight, May 26 and June 2 in various locations in Southern California.
Besides the news of friendly competition between two of the world’s best women’s squads is that all three matches will be available on ESPNU. It is the first time the Hungarians have traveled west for competition with Team USA since a memorable three game set on the East Coast prior to the 2016 Rio Games.
[Greenwich Youth Win Big at USA, Hungary Friendly]
This week’s series is vital to both teams they finalize preparations for the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games, which are planned for July 24 through August 8. A key consideration for US. Head Coach Adam Krikorian: who will fill the roster spot vacated by Kiley Neushal, a mainstay of the squad that sprinted to gold in Rio, who recently announced her retirement from the team?
Besides Kami Craig and Courtney Mathewson–who both retired after Rio—Neushul is the only significant loss on an American squad which is a prohibitive favorite for a third straight Olympic gold. Anchoring Team USA’s effort are four of the world’s top polo athletes: Olympians Maggie Steffens (2012, 2016), Melissa Seidemann (2012, 2016), Ashleigh Johnson (2016) and Rachel Fattal (2012).
Since 2014, the USA women have won every major international championship, and at one point had won 69 straight matches, a streak snapped a year ago by Australia. Seidmann and Steffens are hoping to become the first women polo athletes to win three Olympic gold medals, a feat accomplished on the men’s side by Hungarian athletes at the 1952, 1956 and 1964 Games and again from 2000 – 2008.
Head Coach Attila Biro has his own cadre of top polo athletes to counter the US attack. Captain Rita Keszthelyi, goalie Edina Gangl, Anna Illés and Dora Leimeter form a nucleus of experienced players who delivered a third place finish in the 2020 European Championships, booking the Magyars a spot in the same Olympic draw as the Americans.
[On The Record with Atilla Biró, Hungary Head Women’s Water Polo Coach]
The action will be spirited—everyone wants to beat the team at the top—while Krikorian has the luxury of an exceptional group of younger players, including Paige Hauschild, Jordan Raney, Alys Williams, Jamie and Ryann Neushul—Kiley’s sisters—and Stephania Haralabidis, all fighting to make the roster of 12 for the Tokyo Games.
In goal, Johnson is undisputed as the world’s best, but Gabby Stone and Amanda Longan are vying to be her backup and cash in for some Olympic swag, including the top prize in the sport.
Action gets underway on May 25 at 10:30pm et / 7:30pm pt at the Brenda Villa Aquatic Center in Commerce, CA. From there the two head south to the William Woollett Aquatic Center in Irvine, California for a meeting on May 26 at 8:00pm et / 5:00pm pt. The competition closes on June 2 at 9:00pm et / 6:00pm pt at the El Segundo USD Aquatic Center in El Segundo, CA.
Two-time Olympic medalist Natalie Benson and four-time Olympic medalist Brenda Villa are joined by veteran USA Water Polo and collegiate coach John Abdou as game analysts during the series. Greg Mescall will handle play-by-play on all three matches.
Fans can access ESPNU through a variety of cable and streaming providers. Click here to access live streaming on ESPN.com or the ESPN app (authentication required). Live stats of all three matches will be available at TheFOSH.net.
Due to local health regulations and in collaboration with venue capacity limitations, no tickets will be sold for these matches. Spectators will consist of athlete family and friends.
For more information on the USA Water Polo Women's National Team, including roster and schedule click here.
WITH PRESS INFORMATION FROM USAWP