Leaders, standings, and a look at Day 4 of women’s water polo

USA water polo - Credit: USA Today

USA water polo – Credit: USA Today

Four more games are coming up on Day 4 of the women’s water polo tournament in Paris. Here’s a look at the top teams and players and what to watch in the pool on Friday.

Top offenses

The Netherlands has scored more goals than any other team in Paris, averaging 13 goals per game. Spain isn’t far behind averaging 12.6 goals, and the U.S. is third with a per game average of 12 scores.

Top defenses

Four teams are holding opponents to fewer than 10 goals per game. The U.S., with games of six and three goals allowed, is averaging a tournament best eight goals per contest. Spain is close behind with 8.3 goals per game, and Italy and Canada – both of which have only played two games – are allowing 9.5 goals to opponents.

SEE MORE: U.S. women’s water polo bounces back in big way with win over Italy

Top scorers

Bea Ortiz, from Spain, leads the tournament with nine goals in three games. The next closest scorers are Juliette Dhalluin (France) with eight, and Jenna Flynn (USA), Elena Ruiz (Spain), and Sabrina van der Sloot (Netherlands) with six goals each.

The U.S. has eight players with at least three goals, more than any other country. Maddie Musselman has five goals, followed by Maggie Steffens, Rachel Fattal, Jordan Raney, Jewel Roemer, Kaleigh Gilchrist, and Jovana Sekulic who all have three each.

Top goalies

U.S. keeper Ashleigh Johnson has a tournament-high 32 saves through three games, with also a tournament best average of 10.6 saves per game. Mia Rycraw, of France, is second with an average of 10.5 saves per game. France has only played two games while the U.S. has played three.

SEE MORE: Ashleigh Johnson welcomes ‘responsibility’ as gold medalist

Standings

Group A
Netherlands 2-0 (4pts)
Hungary 1-1  (2pts)
Australia 2-0  (2pts)
Canada 1-1 (2pts)
China 0-3 (0pts)

Group B
Spain 3-0 (6pts)
United States 2-1 (4pts)
France 1-1 (2pts)
Italy 0-2 (0pts)
Greece 0-2 (0pts)

Game 1: Group A – Australia vs. Canada (8 a.m. ET)

Australia is coming off a huge 15-14 win over The Netherlands in penalty shootouts, and is unbeaten through two games in Paris.

Canada picked up its first win of the tournament on Tuesday in a 12-7 win over China.

SEE MORE: Women’s water polo recap, July 31: Australia wins thrilling penalty shootout against Netherlands

Game 2: Group B – Greece vs. Italy (9:35 a.m. ET)

Greece and Italy, ranked Nos. 4 and 5 in the Group B standings, both need wins to stay out of the basement. The fifth place team will be eliminated following pool play.

Greece was narrowly defeated by top ranked Spain on Thursday, while Italy was soundly beat by the U.S. The three goals scored by Italy in the loss was the fewest any team has scored in a game in Paris. 

It’s been a surprising tournament for two teams that had high hopes coming to Paris. In the most recent world championships, Italy finished third and Greece finished fourth. 

Game 3: Group B – United States vs. France (12:30 p.m. ET)

The three-time defending gold medalists USA will have to face another strong defense when it takes on France, one of the bigger surprises of these Olympics. France was off on Tuesday, and defeated Italy in their last game for the country’s first ever women’s water polo win in the Olympics. The home team is playing in the Olympics for the first time.

Game 4: Group A – China vs. Hungary (2:05 p.m. ET)

Hungary also had the day off on Tuesday. Through two games it is averaging 10 goals per game and allowing 8.5. The Hungarians will take on China, the only winless team in Group A. 

SEE MORE: How to watch water polo at the Paris Olympics: TV and stream schedule

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