Maddie Musselman #2 of Team USA passes against Team Australia in the first period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Maddie Musselman #2 of Team USA scores against Team Australia in the first period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Rachel Fattal #4 of Team USA controls the ball against Team Australia in the firs period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Maddie Musselman #2 of Team USA passes against Team Australia in the first period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Team USA looks on against Team Australia in the fourth period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Team USA is scene through a USA water polo banner prior to a women’s water polo exhibition game against Team Australia at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Maggie Steffens #6 of Team USA fights for the ball against Holly Young #8 of Team Australia in the second period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Jovana Sekulic #14 of Team USA fights for the ball against Elle Armit #16 of Team Australia in the second period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Jovana Sekulic #14 of Team USA fights for the ball against Elle Armit #16 of Team Australia in the second period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Rachel Fattal #4 of Team USA controls the ball against Team Australia in the first period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Tara Prentice #3 of Team USA scores against goal keeper Genevieve Longman #13 of Team Australia in the second period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Emily Ausmus #12 of Team USA passes against Team Australia in the second period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Tilly Kearns #7 of Team Australia controls the ball against Team USA in th fourth period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
of Team USA of Team Australia in the first half of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Maggie Steffens #6 of Team USA fights for the ball against Holly Young #8 of Team Australia in the second period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Jewel Roemer #9 of Team USA controls the ball against Team Australia in the second period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Maddie Musselman #2 of Team USA with her teammates prior to a women’s water polo exhibition game against Team Australia at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Fans look on during a women’s water polo exhibition game between Team USA and Team Australia at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Maggie Steffens #6 of Team USA fights for the ball against Holly Young of Team Australia in the second period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Maddie Musselman #2 of Team USA scores against Team Australia in the first period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Kaleigh Gilchrist #10 of Team USA passes against Team Australia in the fourth period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Team USA bench reacts after scoring against Team Australia in the third period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Jovana Sekulic #14 of Team USA fights for the ball against team Australia in the fourth period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Maddie Musselman #2 of Team USA scores passes against Team Australia in the first period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Goal keeper Amanda Longan #13 of Team USA blocks a shot by Team Australia in the first period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Goal keeper Amanda Longan #13 of Team USA blocks a shot by Team Australia in the first period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Goal keeper Amanda Longan #13 of Team USA blocks a shot by Team Australia in the second period of a women’s water polo exhibition game at Long Beach City College in Long Beach on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. USA won 14-8. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
In a match with Olympic overtones, the U.S. women’s water polo team took on Australia on Tuesday evening, April 9, in an exhibition game at Long Beach City College.
The match was the second meeting in three days between the Aussies and the Americans, 14-8 winners on Tuesday. The U.S. aims to capture its fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal this summer in Paris. The U.S. will begin Olympic play July 27 against Greece.
The Olympic Games return to Los Angeles in four years and Long Beach will be among the sites hosting events — tentatively including water polo, rowing, handball, BMX, canoeing and open-water swimming.
On Sunday’s opening match of the water polo series, the U.S. defeated Australia, 10-4, at Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta. The Americans are undefeated this year, including winning all six of its games, and the gold medal, at the FINA World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar.
The U.S. also defeated Australia, 10-9, in a quarterfinal Feb. 12 at the FINA world tournament. Australia finished sixth in the 16-team field.
The 17-player U.S. roster includes all but one player from the 15-member U.S. team that won the gold medal at the FINA World Aquatics Championships in February and six members of the team that won that gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics — Rachel Fattal, Kaleigh Gilchrist, Ashleigh Johnson, Amanda Longan, Maddie Musselman and Maggie Steffens.
The U.S.-Australia series will conclude Saturday at noon at the William Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine.
