Trio of Bruins secure women's water polo gold medal in blowout victory over Spain

Maddie Musselman, Rachel Fattal and Alys Williams leave Tokyo as Olympic champions

The Americans opened and closed their Olympic tournament with blowout wins, clinching the gold medal in the process.

Team USA defeated Spain 14-5 in the women's water polo final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on Saturday, led once again by three former UCLA players – Maddie Musselman, Rachel Fattal and Alys Williams. While Musselman and Fattal also won gold at the Rio 2016 Games, this is Williams' first Olympic medal.

The two returning medalists led Team USA in minutes played, with Musselman also leading her squad with three goals. She could have had four, too, considering she missed a 6-meter try in the waning minutes of the match.

It wouldn't have made much of a difference on the final scoreboard, however, as the game had largely been decided in a one-sided third quarter.

The United States and Spain were separated by three goals at halftime following an even second quarter. Fattal won the opening sprint to start the second half and Williams found the back of the net 36 seconds later. Musselman only took one shot in that frame – it was blocked – so the rest of her team led the charge in a 5-0 quarter that put the Americans up by eight headed into the fourth.

Musselman completed her hat trick early in the final quarter with a man-up score, and it only took another few minutes for Team USA to kill the clock and eventually celebrate their third straight gold medal in the event.

"We're having fun out there and I think you could see that today," Musselman said. "Everyone brought their best when their best was needed and it showed in all four quarters."

All three former Bruins scored in the match – Musselman leading the way with three, Williams putting away two and Fattal scoring her lone goal with one second remaining in the first quarter.

Congratulations to the U.S. Women's Water Polo team on taking GOLD at the Tokyo Olympic Games!#Allgoldeverything #3peat #waterpolotough #teamusa #tokyo2020🥇 pic.twitter.com/LBqVp49h12

— USA Water Polo (@USAWP) August 7, 2021

Musselman was named the MVP of the entire tournament after scoring 18 goals across her seven appearances, peaking with five goals in a comeback semifinal win over the Russian Olympic Committee on Thursday.

The trio of Bruins in the pool weren't the only ones with UCLA ties who left the Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Center with a gold medal, either.

Team USA's coach, Adam Krikorian, headed up the Bruins throughout the 2010s, leading both the men's and women's teams to NCAA titles. He has been the coach of Team USA's women's team since 2009.

"There's been a lot of talk about our success and our adversity, but the world has gone through a hell of a lot over the last 17 months," Krikorian said. "There have been many people who have suffered, so I don't want to diminish that, but what every single one of these Olympic athletes, coaches and staff members have been through to get to this point is a freakin' gold medal in itself."

The Americans won't have to leave Japan with metaphorical gold medals, though.

Musselman, Fattal, Williams and Krikorian can return to the States with pure, 24 carat gold hanging around their necks, knowing they're now champions of the world.

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