This year at the 2016 Summer Olympics, 36 past, current and future UCLA athletes will compete in Rio de Janeiro. Each day, the Daily Bruin will wrap up the different events with Bruin highlights, key performances and upcoming events.
Women’s water polo – Gold medal match
USA vs. Italy
The women’s senior national team had won seven major water polo tournaments since the 2012 games, and it continued the streak with a 12-5 gold medal finish in Rio.
Rachel Fattal took home the first quarter’s sprint, and on the second offensive possession Courtney Mathewson fired a shot into the top-left corner to put the Americans on the board first. Though the Italians tied it up, it wasn’t for long. USA was up 4-1 at the end of the first and never looked back.
Behind Princeton goalie Ashleigh Johnson’s performance – 9/13 in the cage, including a five-meter penalty save – Fattal topped the stat line. She took home two more opening sprints in the second and fourth quarters and led the team with two goals, converting at 40 percent.
After incoming freshman Maddie Musselman’s penalty shot in the fourth quarter, USA led 11-4. Sami Hill, who had only played 13 minutes until this final, got to close out the last two and a half minutes of the game and welcome coach Adam Krikorian into the water when the clock cemented the win.
Following the medal ceremony, the women draped their individual gold medals around Krikorian’s neck, something they also did after the 2012 games. His brother Blake passed away near the beginning of the games, and Krikorian embraced each of his athletes for multiple seconds throughout the gesture.
For Krikorian and Mathewson, this is their second time atop the Olympic water polo world, while it’s the first for Musselman, Fattal, Hill and 2012 graduate KK Clark.
Written by Michael Hull, assistant Sports editor
Women’s soccer – Bronze medal match
Canada vs. Brazil
Jessie Fleming may have to run a few extra laps when the incoming freshman joins the women’s soccer team this fall.
She played a full 90 minutes against UCLA volunteer goalkeeping coach Aline Reis’ Brazil team, and helped Team Canada take home the bronze. In addition to committing some early fouls, she sent a cross to two of her streaking teammates that was snagged by the goalie, and continued to put pressure on Brazil’s defense the entire game.
When Canada scored in the 25th minute, Fleming was merely steps behind her teammate Deanne Rose, who punched in the cross on a breakaway.
Canada went up by two in the 52nd minute, which was enough to win the game in the end. Brazil scored with less than 15 minutes until the final whistle, but could not get a second to tie the game.
The Canadians also took home the bronze in the 2012 Olympic games in London.
Written by Michael Hull, assistant Sports editor
Women’s golf – Round three
It was a down day for both Mariajo Uribe (Colombia) and Giulia Sergas (Italy). After coming back from a six-over-par 77 first round to shoot 74 in the second, Sergas shot six-over again on Friday and now sits in a tie for 54th place at 15 over par.
Uribe also was three strokes over her second round score, up from an even 71 to a +3 74. Still, her total after three rounds is just two over, eight shots behind the leader.
Tomorrow is the final round, with gold, silver and bronze medals to be handed out after competition wraps up.
Written by Michael Hull, assistant Sports editor
Men’s volleyball – Semifinals
USA vs. Italy
After winning four matches in a row, Team USA fell back into old habits of inconsistent and, at times, timid play in a wild 28-30, 28-26, 25-9, 22-25, 9-15 loss to Italy.
The Italians fended off five U.S. set points in the first set to battle back for the win, representative of the match as a whole as Italy dodged set losses.
In the fourth, Team USA had a 22-19 lead and were already up 2-1 after winning the second and third sets. However, Italy’s Ivan Zaytsev went on a massive service run and Italy scored six-straight points, sending the game to the fifth-set tiebreaker.
Italy rode that momentum to a match victory after the United States could not capitalize off of Italy’s five service errors.
The young United States squad, headed by UCLA coach John Speraw, will now fall to the lower bracket and play Russia for the bronze medal. Brazil defeated Russia in straight sets today in the other semifinal match.
Written by Grant Sugimura, assistant Sports editor