DP grad Ryann Neushul scores twice but U.S. is stunned by the Netherlands and kept off Olympic podium
PARIS, France. - U.S. Women's Water Polo suffered a heartbreaking, last-second loss to the Netherlands and failed to medal for the first time ever at the OIympics.
Sabrina van der Sloot scored with less than one second remaining on the clock to give the Dutch an improbable 11-10 comeback win to claim the bronze medal over the stunned Americans.
The 3-time defending Olympic champions led 9-6 heading into the final quarter but let a late lead slip away for the second time in as many games in Paris to settle for fourth place.
The U.S. had finished on the medal podium in every Olympics since the debut of women's water polo in the 2000 Sydney Games.
2018 Dos Pueblos High School graduate Ryann Neushul scored two goals for the U.S. and finished with a total of five goals in Paris as well as scoring once in a shootout loss to Australia in the semifinals.
Her power play goal late in the first quarter put the U.S. up 2-1.
Neushul scored the final goal of the first half on a counter and America led 7-3 at the break.
The U.S. extended the lead to 9-5 with under two minutes left in the third quarter on a goal by Jordan Raney.
When Jenna Flynn scored on a power play with 4:26 left the U.S. led 10-7.
But the Netherlands ended the game on a 4-0 run and scored the game-winner with 0.7 seconds left after pulling the goalie for a 7-6 advantage.
Van der Sloot, who scored a game-high 6 goals, skipped the winning shot past Ashleigh Johnson and inside the right post.
It was the first medal in women's water polo for the Dutch in 16 years since they beat the U.S. in the 2008 final to win gold in Beijing.
Neushul, Flynn and Maddie Musselman each scored two goals for the U.S. who will now look to the 2028 LA Games to get back on the podium.