Rachel Fattal, Ashleigh Johnson help Team USA reach women’s water polo semis

Team USA’s Rachel Fattal scored on a power play with 3:02 remaining, and the Americans held on for a thrilling, 5-4 victory over Hungary in the women’s water polo quarterfinals at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, on Tuesday.

Fattal, a Seal Beach resident, scored the lone goal in the fourth quarter.

Goalie Ashleigh Johnson, who hails from Miami, had a sensational showing in the defensive battle and made 17 saves on Hungary’s 21 shots.

Team USA faces Australia in the semifinals on Thursday. Spain and Netherlands square off in the other semifinal.

Danville’s Maggie Steffens scored the first U.S. goal, but the Americans trailed Hungary 2-1 after 8 minutes.

Temecula’s Tara Prentice knotted the score at 2-all with her power play tally, and Martinez’s Jewel Roemer gave the Americans their first lead on her scoring strike with 32 seconds left in the first half.

Hungary’s Rita Keszthelyi made it a 3-all  game early in the third quarter, but Steffens put the U.S. back on top with her power-play tally with 4:53 on the clock. Hungary’s Kamilla Farago knotted the score at 4-all when she scored on the power play after Jenna Flynn’s exclusion.

Flynn is a San Jose resident and current star for Stanford University. Her father, Joe, played baseball at Harbor High in Santa Cruz and Santa Clara University.

The U.S. made 3 of its 9 power-play shots. Hungary was 1 of 7 with a play advantage.