Women’s Water Polo: Gilchrist shines for Team USA

With a short break from a busy water polo schedule finally here, it’s not exactly a secret what Kaleigh Gilchrist plans to do this week.

Gilchrist also is an accomplished surfer, and she looks forward to the opportunity to get back on the board before the U.S. senior national women’s water polo team heads to Spain for training on New Year’s Day.

“I’m just going to enjoy Newport, hang out with the friends and fam,” she said. “Try to get some waves.”

But Gilchrist, the former Newport Harbor High and USC star, is also making waves with the senior national team. She showed it again Sunday morning, as Team USA finished out the week-long Holiday Cup tournament against Spain.

Gilchrist had a team-best three assists and also scored a goal in the shootout as Team USA won the tournament finale, 14-13, at Corona del Mar High. She helped the U.S. finish the round-robin tournament with a 5-1 record, tops among the four teams competing. Spain had a 3-3 record, while the Netherlands and Italy both were 2-4.

Gilchrist, one of two locals on Team USA along with former CdM star Maddie Musselman, also had two assists and two steals as Team USA impressively beat the Netherlands, 7-3, on Saturday to avenge its only loss of the tournament.

“She’s got just a great feel for the game,” U.S. Coach Adam Krikorian said. “Some people have the ability to see the game, think one step ahead of others, and she’s that type of player for us. You know, when she’s in the game, I feel very confident. We play under control and we play with intelligence, and she’s a big reason for that, hence the reason why she’s in there in the fourth quarter the last few games. I’m gaining just more and more confidence in her ability.

“You know, with this young team, we struggle playing in the moment and not getting distracted. And she’s as good as any, in regard to just staying focused and worrying about the next play. She’s a big leader for us in that area as well.”

Kiley Neushul and team captain Maggie Steffens each scored three goals in regulation for Team USA, which went to a shootout after being tied, 9-9, following regulation. Neushul scored twice in the shootout, including the game-winner, while Steffens, Gilchrist and Kami Craig also scored in the shootout. Craig surprised everyone by scoring on a lob shot.

Sami Hill made two blocks in the shootout for Team USA. Krikorian said was surprised there weren’t any other shootouts in the tournament, but he was glad his team got the experience of one on the last day. It was a physical game against Spain, as the teams combined for 26 exclusions. Spain went seven for 12 with the extra player, which included three different six-on-four chances. The United States was five for 11 on the power play.

“They have one of the best centers in the world [Maica Garcia, who drew five exclusions on Sunday],” Krikorian said. “She’s tough to handle. She creates a lot of offense for them, and a lot of opportunes on six-on-five. We got excluded probably too many times. That was probably the first game that I’ve ever been a part of that had three six-on-fours. It’s already hard enough playing five-man defense. To stop a great team like Spain on four-man defense is obviously very difficult ... but overall I thought it was a good win. It was good to go through an experience like that. The more experiences we can have like that in a championship-type setting, the more we can kind of assimilate to feel that pressure, that environment when it comes to really important games.”

Judith Forca led Spain with three goals in regulation.

Team USA only trailed the game briefly in the second quarter. Gilchrist’s third assist of the game, a beautiful precision pass to a driving Steffens, gave Team USA a 9-7 lead with 4:52 remaining in the fourth quarter.

“I think I see the game pretty well,” Gilchrist said. “Obviously I always need to learn more and more, but I love setting up my teammates and giving them a good pass. I obviously love to score goals too, but just setting them up and having those connections in the water is so fun. I think I grew on that this week. I’m just trying to get those connections with everyone and just kind of hold onto them, as we keep going through this process.”

Spain forced the shootout after Forca’s power-play goal, then a six-on-four goal by Forca with 16 seconds remaining in regulation.

Musselman also contributed, rising high out of the water to record a field block in the third quarter for Team USA.

The United States, the reigning FINA World Champions, finished off the 2015 year with a 41-6 record. The team’s first formal competition in 2016 will be at the FINA Intercontinental Tournament in the Dallas area in mid-February, Krikorian said. The Olympic qualification tournament is in the Netherlands in March.