Adrian Weinberg Keys USA's Bronze-Medal Effort in Water Polo

The ex-Cal goalkeeper had 16 saves in regulation and made one big in in the shootout as the Americans beat Hungary for their first Olympic medal since 2008

Adrian Weinberg / Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports

Goalkeeper Adrian Weinberg overcame unexpected nerves to deliver a clutch performance, leading the USA to an 11-8 shootout win over Hungary in the bronze-medal match at Paris on Sunday, clinching the Americans’ first Olympic medal in 16 years.

"I was scared, anxious, nervous, everything you can think of," Weinberg, the anchor of Cal’s NCAA championship teams the past three seasons, told USA Today

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"The whole tournament, I've honestly been pretty calm. But then today, I was like, ‘Damn, it's a pretty serious game.’ (I) was super freaking nervous."

The Americans outscored Hungary 3-0 in the shootout after the teams battled to an 8-8 tie through four periods. Hungary hit the post with two its shots and Weinberg saved the other one to go with his 16 saves in regulation.

Adrian Weinberg defends the goal / Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports

USA coach Dejan Udovičić had praise for Weinberg.  

"Great guy," Udovičić said. "He was going (through) some ups and downs. He was born in 2001. … I think he's the youngest goalie by far, goalie here. We are expecting from him in the future. We work with him. We got two, three people who are working with him on a daily basis: tactics, preparation, mental preparation.”

Hannes Daube, Max Irving and Alex Bowen converted in the shootout for the Americans, who had to score twice in the final two minutes of regulation to get even.

Cal alums Johnny Hooper and Luca Cupido each scored once in regulation for the Americans.

USA hadn’t won an Olympic medal since Beijing in 2008, when they fell to Hungary in the gold-medal game.

Serbia won its third consecutive Olympic gold medal in the sport, beating Croatia 13-11.

Weinberg, a first-time Olympian, said he drew confidence from being able to read what his opponents were going to do on shots.

"There was a couple of times, those guys, for example, came up, waited for a second to see where I would go, and I was like, ‘OK, I know exactly what you're trying to do,’" Weinberg said.

 

"If I'm present in a moment, thinking about what's going on, then I can read that. But if I'm thinking about something else − thinking about, I don't know, the score, whatever the case may be − I'm not going to be able to read that. So yeah, that tell for sure, I did that today.”

Weinberg was already excited about the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"It's amazing − a big win for just not our sport but our country as well," Weinberg said. "I'm very excited for L.A."

Johnny Hooper prepares to take a shot / Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports

Hooper, who sat out the semifinal loss to Serbia due to a suspension, gave the Americans a 1-0 lead on a power play with 6:22 left in the opening period.

Cupido pushed the Americans’ lead to 4-2 when he scored with 4:41 left in the second.

USA took a 6-5 lead into the fourth period before Hungary scored three in a row for an 8-6 advantage. Bowen’s goal with 2:59 made it 8-7 and Daube’s goal exactly one minute later knotted the score.

Weinberg had two saves in the final two minutes and Cupido’s shot with one second left in regulation was saved, forcing the shootout.

Bowen, a 30-year-old three-time Olympian who scored the decisive shootout goal, noted Hungary’s great water polo legacy as he celebrated his team’s comeback victory.  

"They have a history of water polo; it's their national sport. It means a lot to beat them,” he said. They had the last full minute of possession. We went block, block, block. It's incredible. It's a testament of the grit and determination of the team and the willingness to die for each other."

Greece clinches fifth place: Greece held off a furious fourth-quarter rally by Spain to win 15-13 and secure fifth place. Spain, which was unbeaten in group play, goes home with sixth place.

Former Cal great Nikolaos Papanikolaos, in his first Olympics, was scoreless in 4:45 in the pool.

Greece led 12-7 entering the final period before the Spaniards scored six times and pulled within 14-13 with less than two minutes left. Konstantinos Kamaris pushed the margin to 15-13 by scoring with 1:05 to play and Spain peppered six shots at the Greek goal in the final minute before time ran out.