7th place game: Greece 19, Canada 10
Behind three goals each by Maria Myriokefalitaki, Eirini Ninou, and Athina Dimitra Giannopoulou, Greece easily defeated Canada on Saturday to finish the Paris Olympics in seventh place.
It was the most goals Greece has scored in a single game in Paris.
Axelle Crevier led Canada with three goals. The Canadians leave Paris in eighth place.
Sabrina van der Sloot scored a game-high six goals in Saturday’s bronze medal match of the women’s water polo tournament. None were bigger than her last.
With the score tied, 10-10, the Netherlands called a timeout with nine seconds remaining. Out of the break, van der Sloot got the ball at mid-pool and didn’t even pass. She swam to the center about five meters from the goal and fired a shot that skipped past USA goalkeeper Ashleigh Johnson to put her team ahead with one second remaining.
The U.S.’s only hope was a heave from mid-pool, but it was saved as Netherlands players jumped in the water to celebrate the 11-10 victory that gave their country its first women’s water polo medal since 2008.
The U.S. led by as many as four on several occasions, and took a 10-7 lead with four minutes remaining.
The Netherland was the highest scoring team in Paris, coming into Saturday’s bronze game with 88 goals in six contests prior.
Saturday was the second straight heartbreaking loss for the U.S., which leaves Paris without a medal for the first time ever. Team USA fell to the bronze medal game after losing to Australia in a penalty shootout in the semifinals.
The U.S. looked to be in control for three-and-a-half quarters on Saturday. It led 3-2 at the end of the first and 7-3 at the half.
Just before the end of the third quarter, Ryann Neushul missed a penalty shot that would have again taken the U.S.’s lead to four. From there, the momentum seemed to shift.
Early in the fourth, van der Sloot drew her only penalty shot, and scored for her fifth goal of seven total for her team.
On their next five possessions, the Americans had two shots saved, two turnovers, and another missed shot. Jenna Flynn finally got her team back on the board with a goal to take the lead to three, but the Netherlands responded with goals by Vivan Sevenich on back-to-back possessions to get within one with 3:14 remaining.
The U.S. took a timeout with two minutes left, and ran the drawn-up play to perfection, setting up Maddie Musselman wide open on the three-meter line. But her shot was saved by Dutch keeper Laura Aarts, and Netherlands swam down the pool and scored again on the next possession to tie the score at 10.
Flynn, Neushul, and Musselman all had two goals each to lead the U.S.
Team USA leaves Paris 4-3 overall and in fourth place.
The bronze is just the second ever women’s water polo medal for The Netherlands.
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