The Huntington Beach-based U.S. women’s water polo team assured itself of a spot in the Summer Olympics with a 19-0 victory over France today in a quarterfinal game of the Olympic Games Qualification Tournament in Gouda, Netherlands.
The top four teams in the 12-team tournament are assured of Olympic berths and today’s victory guaranteed the U.S. of at least a fourth-place finish.
Attacker Makenzie Fisher, a 2015 graduate of Laguna Beach High School, scored a game-high six goals, including the first, 22 seconds into play. Her sister Aria, a junior at Laguna Beach High School, scored three times.
The Fisher sisters are among six Orange County residents on the 13- member U.S. team. Kaleigh Gilchrist of Newport Beach, Maddie Musselman, a senior at Corona del Mar High School, and Courtney Mathewson of Anaheim Hills each scored once for the U.S., the defending Olympic gold medalists.
The U.S. led 5-0 at the end of the first period, 12-0 at halftime and 15- 0 entering the fourth period.
The U.S. will continue tournament play Sunday against Spain, a 10-7 winner over Netherlands in another quarterfinal today.
