Local women key USA water polo rout of China

Maggie Steffens, a Newport Beach resident, scored four goals for the U.S. women’s water polo team in its 12-4 win over China in group play on Thursday. Steffens has six goals in two wins for Team USA.

Aug. 11, 2016 9:07 PM PT

Newport Beach residents Maddie Musselman and Maggie Steffens scored four goals apiece and Newport Harbor High product Kaleigh Gilchrist added two to pace the United States women’s water polo team to a 12-4 victory over China on Thursday at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Musselman, a Corona del Mar High graduate, now has five goals in two wins for Team USA, which leads the four-team Group B standings. She had two steals and one blocked shot against China, against which she fired five shots.

Steffens, who has a team-best six goals in Rio, chipped in one assist and one block on Thursday. She did not miss a shot against China.

Gilchrest scored her first two goals of the tournament on Thursday, converting both of her shot attempts, while chipping in two blocked shots.

Team USA, for which UC Irvine women’s coach Dan Klatt is an assistant coach, finishes out Group B play against Hungary on Saturday at 9 a.m. PDT.

All eight teams in the women’s tournament advance to the quarterfinals on Monday.

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On Wednesday, Corona del Mar High graduate Sam Mikulak finished seventh in the men’s gymnastics all-around competition.

The Newport Coast resident’s scores were: parallel bars (15.766); floor exercise (15.2); horizontal bar (15.133); pommel horse (14.6); vault (14.566); and rings (14.366).

His 89.631 total was just more than one point behind the bronze-medal winner.

Mikulak, a four-time U.S. all-around champion, competes in the floor exercise (Sunday at 10 a.m. PDT) and the horizontal bar (Tuesday at 1:34 p.m. PDT) in the indivudual finals.

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The U.S. men’s volleyball team earned its first win in three Pool A matches Thursday, topping host Brazil, 25-20, 25-23, 20-25, 25-20. Team USA includes former UC Irvine All-American David Smith.

Former UCI All-American Kevin Tillie, competing for France, helped his team post a 25-19, 25-16, 25-19 triumph against Canada in Pool A action on Thursday. The win helped France move closer to becoming one of four of six teams in Pool A to advance to the quarterfinals.

France takes on Team USA on Saturday at 9:05 a.m. PDT. That match will reunite Tillie with his former UCI coach John Speraw, who is guiding the U.S. squad in Rio.

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UC Irvine student Phillip Chew began competition in badminton on Thursday, dropping matches in group play in both mixed doubles and men’s doubles.

Chew, a resident of Orange, and mixed doubles partner Jamie Subandhi were defeated, 21-10, 21-12, buy Sung Hyun Ko and Ha Na Kim of Korea in Group D action.

Chew and men’s doubles partner Sattawat Pongnairat were trounced, 21-6, 21-7, by Haifeng Fu and Nan Zhang of China in the Group B opener.

Chew and Subandhi face Kenta Kazuno and Ayare Khurihara of Japan on Friday at 1:30 p.m. PDT.

The Japanese duo swept a pair from the Netherlands in their opener on Thursday.

Chew and Pongnairat will meet V. Shem Goh and Wee Kiong Tan of Malaysia in men’s doubles on Friday at 4:25 a.m. PDT.

The Malaysians defeated a team from Germany in two games on Thursday.

There are four four-team groups in men’s doubles and mixed doubles and only the top two teams from each pool advance to the quarterfinals.

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Highlighting additional action on tap Friday is the U.S. men’s water polo team, including Newport Harbor High product Luca Cupido and Corona del Mar High graduate John Mann. Team USA will take on Montenegro in Group B action at 7:40 a.m. PDT.

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Also Friday, Newport Beach’s Charlie Buckingham will compete in men’s Laser class sailing. He is scheduled for two races in the 10-race preliminary round that concludes with two races on Saturday. After six races, he is 15th.

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Former UC Irvine star Charles Jock competes in round one of the men’s 800 meters on Friday, when track and field begins at Olympic Stadium.

Jock, a former NCAA champion in the 800, is in lane No. 4 in heat No. 4, hoping to be among those who advance from seven round one heats into three semifinal heats on Saturday. Jock’s race Friday is at 6:37 p.m. PDT.

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Costa Mesa resident April Ross and partner Kerri Walsh Jennings will compete in the women’s beach volleyball round of 16 on Saturday against an opponent to be determined.

— From staff reports