Locals flood USA talent pool

The U.S. women’s water polo team remained unbeaten in Olympic competition Saturday as it continues to be led by the one-two Newport Beach scoring punch of Maggie Steffens and Maddie Musselman.

Steffens, a Newport Beach resident, had four goals and one assist to help Team USA earn an 11-6 triumph over Hungary in the last of three Group B matches in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Musselman, a Corona del Mar High product, added three goals to help the Americans earn a preferable draw in Monday’s quarterfinals, in which they will battle winless Brazil at 10:20 a.m. PDT at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium.

Newport Harbor High graduate Kaleigh Gilchrist had one goal and one blocked shot against Hungary.

Steffens now has 10 goals to lead the Americans. Musselman has seven goals in the tournament.

Team USA, for which UC Irvine women’s coach Dan Klatt is an assistant coach, has outscored opponents, 34-12, thus far. The defending gold medalist from the 2012 London Olympics, Team USA has established itself as one of two dominant teams in the eight-team tournament.

Italy swept Group A, posting a 27-15 goal advantage.

Brazil was outscored, 33-13, in Group A play.

The semifinals are scheduled Wednesday, with the gold-medal and bronze-medal matches set for Friday.

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Charlie Buckingham, a Newport Beach resident who attended Newport Harbor High, had his best performance of the Olympics on Saturday, which nearly propelled him into the men’s Laser class sailing medal race.

Buckingham, who entered the last two of 10 preliminary races in 15th place overall, finished sixth in the 10th race on Saturday, his top showing. He was also 10th in the ninth race contested Saturday.

His strong day put Buckingham in a tie with Denmark’s Rutger Van Schaardenburg for the final spot in the 10-sailor medal race. But Buckingham lost a tiebreaker and his Olympics ends with an 11th-place showing.

Buckingham, a member of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club, finished seventh in the second race, eighth in the fifth race and had two 10th-place finishes.

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The U.S. men’s volleyball team, coached by former UCI head man John Speraw and including former UCI All-American middle blocker David Smith, defeated France, 25-22, 25-22, 14-25, 25-22, on Saturday to solidify its attempt to become one of four teams to advance from the six-team Pool A.

Team USA, which lost its first two matches in Rio, is now 2-2 with one pool match remaining against winless Mexico on Monday.

Kevin Tillie, a two-time All-American and NCAA champion at UCI, produced seven points for France on Saturday. A starter for the French team coached by his father, Laurent Tillie, the younger Tillie also had three digs and one ace.

France (2-2) closes pool play Monday against Canada (2-2).

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UCI student Phillip Chew and UCI alumna Eva Lee completed their competition in badminton on Saturday.

Chew and men’s doubles partner Sattawat Pongnairat lost, 21-14, 21-14, to Germans Michael Fuchs and Johannes Schoettler on Saturday to finish 0-3 in Group B play.

Chew and mixed doubles partner Jamie Subandhi fell, 21-15, 21-19, to Jacco Arends and Salena Piek of the Netherlands. The Americans were winless in three Group D matches.

Lee and women’s doubles partner Paula Lynn Obanana were defeated, 21-14, 21-15, in their Group B finale against Ying Luo and Yu Luo of China. The Americans finished 0-3 in group play.

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Costa Mesa resident April Ross and partner Kerri Walsh Jennings compete in the women’s beach volleyball quarterfinals on Sunday.

Ross, a Newport Harbor High product, was a silver medalist in 2012 in London with then-partner Jennifer Kessy.

Walsh Jennings won gold in 2004, 2008 and 2012 with Newport Harbor graduate Misty May-Treanor, who is now retired.

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Sam Mikulak, a Corona del Mar High graduate, will compete in the floor exercise on Sunday in the men’s individual gymnastics final. Mikulak, seventh in the all-around competition in Rio, will also compete in the horizontal bar final on Tuesday.

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The U.S. men’s water polo team closes out on Sunday in a Group B finale against Italy at 11:30 a.m. PDT. Team USA, which includes Newport Harbor High graduate Luca Cupido and CdM High product John Mann, will not advance to the quarterfinals.

— From staff reports

— From staff reports