Netherlands Stuns U.S. for Bronze in Women's Water Polo at Olympics

In a thrilling finish, Sabrina van der Sloot scored with just 0.7 seconds remaining, leading the Netherlands to a stunning 11-10 victory over the United States in the women's water polo bronze medal match on Saturday. This victory marks a significant achievement for the Dutch team, securing their first Olympic medal in 16 years, while simultaneously denying the U.S. a medal for the first time in Olympic history. U.S. attacker Maddie Musselman expressed her disbelief at the outcome, emphasizing the importance of maintaining focus throughout the match. "It just shows the importance of staying in the moment, and we weren't able to capitalize on that today," she stated. Despite their efforts, the U.S. team struggled to overcome the Netherlands, who demonstrated superior performance, particularly from van der Sloot, who scored six goals. Van der Sloot reflected on her decisive goal, noting her anticipation of being targeted by defenders due to her earlier success in the game. "If you're not going to attack me, I'm going to shoot it," she said, highlighting the confidence that propelled her to victory. The U.S. had a final opportunity to equalize, but a long-range shot from Johnson was easily blocked, sealing their fate. Following the match, questions arose regarding U.S. coach Adam Krikorian's future, as he pondered whether a change might be necessary after the disappointing fourth-place finish in Paris. "Your message sometimes gets a little stale in moments," he remarked, indicating potential shifts ahead for the program.